CAIRO (Reuters) – Egypt’s Olympic hopeful Ihab Abdelrahman, a silver medalist in the men’s javelin at last year’s world championship, has been suspended for failing a doping test.
“We received news that Ihab has failed a doping test. We have asked for sample B to be tested. We hope the result is negative,” Egyptian Olympic Committee president Hisham Hatab told Reuters. Abdelrahman has protested his innocence in a television interview.
“I am a million percent innocent,” he said. “I have been taking food supplements since 2013 and passed every previous test.
“I feel I’m in a nightmare. It’s impossible I have put myself in this situation.
“I did urine and blood tests in February and the results were negative. I was also tested in May and the result was negative. Why is this the only positive result? Why did this happen at this time.”
Egypt’s anti-doping authority NADO said Abdelrahman was tested in April and his A sample gave a positive reading at a lab in Barcelona.
The 27-year-old secured Egypt’s first medal at a major athletic championship in Beijing last year and was the country’s biggest hope for a medal at next month’s Rio Games.