National wushu exponent Tai Cheau Xuen has been stripped of the gold medal she won at the Incheon Asian Games after the appeal by Malaysia against her positive dope test was dismissed on Thursday.
INCHEON: Malaysia’s appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to nullify the Olympic Council of Asia’s (OCA) decision to withdraw Tai Cheau Xuen’s gold has been rejected.
Cheau Xuen had tested positive for a doping offence and stripped off the gold she won in the women’s nanquan and nandao all-round event in wushu on Sept 20.
In a hearing here in Incheon on Thursday morning, the Malaysian officials explained to the CAS committee the reasons for their appeal, which was filed on Tuesday.
Malaysian chef de mission Datuk Danyal Balagopal said the hearing was fair and it allowed them to present their views.
“Our main concern is the procedure of the doping test was not followed. Why did it take 16 hours for the sample to be taken and then reach the laboratory here?
“Then, there is a question of why the relevant forms were not properly filled which is a requirement under the doping procedure.
“We don’t want to forward a conspiracy theory, but our athlete must be given a fair chance and justice must be done. We are not questioning the way the sample was taken or the results itself. But once you don’t follow the procedure, it raises questions and doubts about the whole process,” added Danyal.
Danyal said the CAS informed him through an email later in the evening that their appeal was rejected.
“It is just a one sentence email and that an explanation of the decision will follow.”
Danyal said they were disappointed with the decision.
“We will only make a more detailed comment once the CAS give us the reasons for the rejection,” he added.
Cheau Xuen will now have to return the medal and Malaysia’s gold medal tally will be reduced by one.
Indonesia’s Juwita Nisa Wasni has been promoted from silver to gold. Her compatriot Ivana Ardelia Irmanto gets the silver while Taiwan’s Tsai Wen Chuan wins the bronze.
