A doping scandal has already reached the world Olympic Games in Pariswith the 28-year-old Iraqi judoka Sajjad Sehen accused of bulking using anabolic steroids, RadarOnline.com can report.
Hours before the opening ceremony, the International testing agency Samples taken from the judo practitioner earlier this week tested positive for metandienone and boldenone: synthetic forms of testosterone used to increase muscle mass and strength.
In preparation for his Olympic debut, Sehen was scheduled to compete in the men’s 81-kilogram class next Tuesday against an opponent from Uzbekistan, the 28-year-old. Boltaboyev Sharofiddin.
The ITA, a non-profit organization that manages the anti-doping program for the International Olympic Committee during the Games, wrote in a press release Friday: “The athlete has been informed of the matter and has been provisionally suspended until the matter is resolved in accordance with the World Anti-Doping Code and the IOC Anti-Doping Rules applicable to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.”
His provisional suspension meant Sehen was barred from competing, training, coaching or participating in this summer’s Olympic activities.
The organization said the athlete “has the right to challenge the imposition of the provisional suspension before the Court of Arbitration for Sport – Anti-Doping Division” and that he “may request the analysis of the sample.”
“Given that the matter is ongoing, no further comments will be made during the ongoing proceedings.”
Sehen’s profile on the Olympic website lists the athlete as a first Olympian and two-time bronze medalist at the 2023 World Championships. His statistics also show that he won the bronze medal at the 2023 Arab Games in Algiers, Algeria, and competed at the 2018 World Championships in Baku against the world champion from 2024. Hidayet Heydarov.
Independent anti-doping initiatives, led by the ITA over the past year, investigated more than 65 international sports federations and major event organizers, which the organization said identified 485 “potential anti-doping rule violations.” The results came from a minimum of 15,000 athletes sampled more than 40,000 times.
“These significant operational figures confirm the ITA’s status as the world’s largest organization dedicated to implementing clean sports activities on an international scale.”
During the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, the ITA identified doping in six athletes out of 6,200 samples collected.
In the meantime, as RadarOnline.com reportedA series of arson attacks targeting France’s high-speed rail system disrupted traffic and exposed the city to security problems.
The unknown attackers damaged signal cables connecting the capital with Lille, Bordeaux and Strasbourg, despite the city center being teeming with police, soldiers, private security agents and snipers. A second attack planned for the Paris-Marseille line was foiled and no injuries were reported.
The chaotic morning came after the Parisians concerns expressed about the Summer Games wreaking havoc on their city. The city center was declared a ‘grey zone’, restricting access for residents and forcing businesses in the zone to close for a week.
While locals complained about having to walk miles around the 44,000 high barriers erected around the city, one teacher lamented: “It is the first time that the Olympic Games are being organized in the heart of a city, and it could could be the last! Honestly, if this doesn’t destroy Paris, I’d be surprised.”