Italy's Abdelwahed banned for four years for doping

Italian steeplechase runner Ahmed Abdelwahed has been banned for four years and stripped of his silver medal from the 2022 European Athletics Championships for an anti-doping rule violation, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said on Thursday.

Abdelwahed won silver at the European championships in Munich in August last year but the urine sample he provided revealed the presence of Meldonium -- a banned substance on the World Anti-Doping Agency's prohibited list.

The 27-year-old was provisionally suspended in September last year and although he stated that he never used Meldonium intentionally, the AIU handed the ban after his B sample also confirmed the presence of the substance.

"All the athlete's results obtained at 2022 European Championships and since 19 August 2022 (will) be disqualified... with all resulting consequences including the forfeiture of any titles, awards, medals, points and prize and appearance money," the AIU said in its decision.

The AIU added that Abdelwahed may appeal the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport within 30 days.