A BANNED stimulant responsible for a spate of recent international doping cases was behind a positive test returned by a second athlete from Uzbekistan at the Asian Games, the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) said yesterday.

    Dr. Mani Jegathesan, chairman of the OCA’s medical committee, told a news conference that Jakhongir Muminov, a 23-year-old wrestler, had tested positive for Methylhexaneamine and had been disqualified from the Games.

    He was tested Nov. 19, before his competition. He lost in the quarterfinals of the 84kg weight class Monday.

    Last Friday, Shokir Muminov — no relation — was disqualified and stripped of his judo silver medal after testing positive for Methylhexaneamine.

    The 27-year-old Shokir Muminov lost the gold-medal match in the 81kg division in judo to South Korea’s Kim Jae-bum.

    The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) recently loosened the classification of Methylhexaneamine for next year to the “specified stimulant” list, which covers drugs that are more susceptible to inadvertent use and can carry reduced penalties.

    Sanctions for use of the drug can be reduced if athletes prove they did not intend to enhance performance. Penalties range from a warning to a two-year ban.

    The OCA has instructed Uzbekistan to explore the source of the cases. Games organizers said they had conducted 1,262 tests up to Tuesday, the 11th day of competition, and had received results for 1,090.

    The Guangzhou Games, which involve more than 10,000 athletes competing in 42 sports, end Saturday.

    Organizers have said all the anticipated 1,500 urine and 200 blood tests taken during the Games will be assessed at the WADA-accredited lab in Beijing, which did drug screenings during the 2008 Olympics.

    (SD-Agencies)