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There seems to be an issue in the sense of fair play by plastic Bahraini athletes — and they are now getting caught. Born and raised elsewhere, lured by money, they compete for their new country. Is there a form of systematic doping in Bahrain?
In this case, Hassan Chani will be stripped of his gold 10,000-metre gold medal from the 2018 Asian Games that took place in Jakarta, Indonesia. He has been banned by the Athletics Integrity Unit or AIU for four years.
The 32-year-old, Moroccon-Bahraini was found guilty of blood doping following analysis of his Athlete Biological Passport or ABP.
His results from August 2017 to March 2020 have been annulled.
He competed in the 2016 Rio Olympics for Bahrain.
Finishing in second place at the Asian Games was Kenyan-Bahraini Abraham Cheroben.
Cheroben will get the gold, while Ethiopians Tamirat Tola and Yigrem Demelash will also move up to earn silver and bronze, respectively.
Chani owned a 10,000m personal record of 27:38.16 and a 5000m record of 13:28.67. His best performance was likely in the half-marathon. In 2017, he ran 60:23 in the Casablanca Half Marathon. His marathon time, run two months later is 2:14:32. He will lose all of those achievements except for the 5000m time, which happened in 2015.
SHOESTRINGS: Made official on September 1, Belarussian high jumper Dzmitry Nabokau has been suspended by the AIU. He tested positive for Furosemide in October 2019. He is suspended for two years, however, the suspension is appealable.
