Judoka tests positive for doping in Paris olympics' first case

An Iraqi male judoka has tested positive for banned anabolic steroids at the Paris Olympics, the International Testing Agency announced on Friday -- the first positive doping test at the Games.

The ITA said a sample collected from Sajjad Sehen had "returned an adverse analytical finding for the non-specified prohibited substances metandienone and boldenone".

Both drugs are banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency.

The sample was collected by the ITA during an out-of-competition anti-doping control on Tuesday in Paris, with the result reported by the WADA-accredited laboratory of Paris on Thursday.

The 28-year-old first-time Olympian had been due to compete next week in the men's 81-kilogram class.

The ITA statement said the athlete had been provisionally suspended until the resolution of the matter, in line with anti-doping rules.

"This means that the athlete is prevented from competing, training, coaching, or participating in any activity during the Olympic Games Paris 2024," it said.

"The athlete has the right to challenge the imposition of the provisional suspension before the Court of Arbitration for Sport -– Anti-Doping Division."

Sehen also has the right to request analysis of the B-sample.

The ITA manages an independent anti-doping programme for the Olympics in Paris on behalf of the International Olympic Committee.