Bangladesh’s leading female weightlifter Mabia Akter Simanta is facing the risk of suspension after testing positive for a banned substance. The International Testing Agency, which oversaw doping control at the 2023 Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh, confirmed the presence of a prohibited element in her sample. Mabia is now awaiting the result of her ‘B’ sample test, which will determine whether she will be officially banned.

According to Dr. Shafiqul Rahman, member secretary of the Bangladesh Olympic Association’s medical committee, Mabia’s first sample tested positive in a South Korean laboratory, and the second sample has been sent to Italy for further analysis. He noted that banned substances can sometimes enter the body through medication or contaminated supplements, and this possibility is being investigated in Mabia’s case.

Mabia stated that she took medicine prescribed by a doctor for knee swelling, unaware that it contained a banned component. She said she used a drug named Edimite 20 from Acme Company and had no official team doctor at the time. Her earlier doping test on October 30, 2023, showed no issues, allowing her to compete and set a national record later that year.