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Controversy rages over what action should be taken following the announcement that Bahrain's first-ever Olympic gold medal winner was a drugs cheat.
The head of Bahrain's Olympic Committee has confirmed that the backup sample of 1,500-metre gold medallist Rashid Ramzi has tested positive for a banned blood-booster.
Ramzi and four other athletes tested positive for the blood-boosting drug CERA in retests earlier this year of their 'A' samples from the Beijing Games.
The Moroccan-born Ramzi gave the kingdom its first-ever Olympic track-and-field gold medal with victory in the 1,500 men's final.
Shaikh Ahmed bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the secretary general of Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC), told the Associated Press that Ramzi's 'B' sample was also positive. Shaikh Ahmed says his organisation is still supporting Ramzi, who claims he is innocent and a team of lawyers has been hired to argue his case.
Bahrain Athletic Association vice-president Abdulrahman Askar earlier told reporters that there were concerns over alleged mishandling of the runner's samples with the World Anti-Doping Agency.
However, not all members of the BOC agree with the decision to fight the findings.
Mohammed Ali Abul, assistant secretary general of the BOC, believes it is a waste of time tackling the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
He said: "It is very seldom that the IOC makes mistakes. Once the samples have been tested and the results are out that is final.
"The BOC is trying to defend Ramzi and that isn't right. We have had experience with this sort of situation in the past where the athlete says he is innocent and after the sample B is taken they are still proven guilty.
"Honestly, which athlete will admit to taking drugs? Don't lie, as it just makes it worse later on.
"Listen, you can hire 20 lawyers and the results will remain the same, so why waste time?
"I did not expect this from Ramzi and what he did was completely wrong. Bahrain was very happy when he won the gold medal and now the good cheer will only be limited to that day because like any other athlete who has tested positive for drugs he will be stripped of his medal.
"Regarding stripping him of his Bahraini citizenship, this is in the hands of the authorities to decide. He should not have done this. Our Olympic committee should take action against Ramzi because this is a sad day for us and something must be done."
Disciplinary hearings are expected to be held at the end of the month. The IOC executive board will meet in Berlin on August 13 and 14. They have the power to disqualify athletes whose blood samples prove positive to performance enhancing drugs from past and future games.
