Football: Saudi Legend Noor Handed Four-year Doping Ban

LAUSANNE, , (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Dec, 2016 ) - Saudi Arabian footballing star Mohammed Noor was handed a four-year ban for testing positive for amphetamine by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Thursday.

World football's governing body FIFA had appealed a ruling by the Saudi Arabian Anti-Doping Committee that saw Noor free to play again just five months after the positive test in November 2015.

CAS upheld FIFA's appeal, saying: "The Panel found that the player failed to identify any basis for impugning the reliability or accuracy of the testing laboratory's analysis of his A and B sample.

"Moreover, the player could not identify any particular deviation from the WADA International Standards for Laboratories.

"Therefore, the appropriate sanction for the player's anti-doping rule violation is a four-year period of ineligibility." Noor, whose full name is Mohammed bin Mohammed Noor Adam Hawsawi, underwent an in-competition doping control in November 2015, his A and B samples testing positive for amphetamine.

The 38-year-old attacking midfielder, who spent most of his long career at Al-Ittihad, won 96 caps for Saudi Arabia and appeared at both the 2002 and 2006 World Cups. Goalkeeper Mohamed al-Deayea remains Saudi Arabia's most capped player, having won 172 caps for the kingdom.