KUALA LUMPUR: An athlete who is tested positive for sibutramine, a stimulant commonly found in slimming products, listed under the S6 (specified stimulants) category of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) World Anti-Doping Code, stands to face a maximum suspension of two years.
Anabolic steroids and EPO are placed under the S1 (anabolic agents) and S2 (peptide hormones, growth factors, mimetics and related substances) categories and incur a mandatory 4-year ban under the code.
Anti-Doping Agency of Malaysia (Adamas) deputy director Nishel Kumar said sibutramine is not viewed as serious an offence as performance-enhancing drugs such as anabolic steroids by WADA.
“Sibutramine is not a performance-enhancing drug and is mainly used for weight loss. The main reason it is banned is because it can be harmful to health," said Nishel, commenting on diver Wendy Ng’s eight-month suspension for testing positive for sibutramine at last year’s KL Sea Games.
Wendy will serve out her suspension on April 26.
Five doping cases involving Malaysian athletes in 2017
1. Wendy Ng Yan Yee (Diving) — Tested positive for sibutramine, a stimulant commonly found in slimming products, at the Kuala Lumpur Sea Games.
2. Hafifi Mansor (Weightlifting) — Tested positive for steroids at a competition in Melbourne, Australia.
3. Rafi Abd Manaf (Muay Thai) - Tested positive for diuretics prior to the Kuala Lumpur Sea Games after consuming sex pills bought on the Internet.
4. S. Kumar (hockey) - Tested positive for sibutramine at the Asia Cup in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
5. Shahrul Afiza Fauzan (cycling) - Tested positive for anabolic steroids at the Tour De Selangor.
