Ghanaian boxer Shakul Samed has been suspended by Commonwealth Games chiefs on the first day of sporting action in Birmingham after failing a doping test.
The 23-year-old light heavyweight was scheduled to face Mauritian Luc Jean Rosalba in the first round of their contest, but Rosalba won via walkover instead.
A sample of Samed was found to contain the banned substance furosemide, a diuretic and a masking agent.
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“The Commonwealth Games Federation Medical and Anti-Doping Commission has confirmed that the sample of Shakul Samed, a boxer from Ghana, violated the anti-doping rules of the 2022 Commonwealth Games,” read a statement from the CGF.
“He has therefore been suspended with immediate effect. He and the Ghana Commonwealth Games Association have been informed.”
Samed, who competed at last year’s Tokyo Olympics, may choose to have his B sample tested before any charges are issued.
Ghanaian becomes first Birmingham athlete to fail doping test – there was no failed test at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.
Meanwhile, Australia’s Billy Polkinghorn got his debut Commonwealth Games campaign off to a flying start, defeating Seychelles’ Fabio Roselie with a 34-second knockout on Friday.
The 25-year-old delivered a pair of powerful right hands to his hapless opponent in the first round to send a dire warning to the rest of the light welterweight competition in Birmingham.
Polkinghorn is through to the last 16, where he will face Uganda’s Joshua Tukamuhebwa, who defeated Ireland’s John Paul Hale in the first round.
“I looked her (Roselie) up on YouTube and I saw that she likes to take her lead hand off, get a little lazy,” Polkinghorn said. AAP.
“So I really thought I was going to try to capitalize, coming on top with a big, strong right hand and we caught him early and just went after it again and the ref did it.
“It’s just one fight at a time. Four more to go for the gold.
“I think anything short of gold is a party day. I’m putting a lot of pressure on myself, but that’s okay.”
– with the AFP