Three Pakistani athletes—two gold medalists and a bronze medalist of the 2019 South Asian Games—were stripped of their medals and banned for four years after they failed doping tests.

According to the Nepal Olympic Committee (NOC), men's 110m hurdles gold medalist Muhammad Naeem, 400m hurdles winner Mehboob Ali and 100m sprit bronze medalist Sami Ullah were stripped of their medals. They will be banned until December 2, 2023, which was effective from December 3, 2019.

Urine samples of the three players collected during in-competition doping control tests were found positive. "The samples were sent to the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA)-approved Anti-Doping Lab in Qatar and the test revealed that they had used the banned substances," stated an NOC release.

All three athletes were found to have taken Anabolic Androgenic Steroids. They are now used in medicine to stimulate muscle growth and appetite. "All three tested positive in the A sample tests and were informed about it. They were also given an opportunity for B tests in the same lab. Among them, gold medalists Naeem and Ali conducted the second test as well. But they both failed the doping test," according to NOC.

"As per the international norms of athletics, the trio will be stripped of their medals and the athletes finishing just behind them will be given their medals," said RK Bista, the secretary at Nepal Athletics Association, who is also the International Technical Officer of athletics.

Testing positive in doping means the silver medalist of 110m hurdles Surendra Jayak will get the gold and bronze medalist Roshan Dhamika of Sri Lanka will bag silver while fourth placed Indian Maymon Poulose will be elevated for bronze medal.

The 400m hurdles gold and silver will go to the Indian duo of Jabir Madari Pa and Santosh Kumar while Sri Lankan Asanka Indrajit will bag the bronze medal. Ali will be replaced by his compatriot Uzair Rehman for bronze in 100m sprint.

The ban meant table topper India will have a total haul of 176 gold medals while Pakistan, who finished four in the standings behind Nepal and Sri Lanka, will have 30 golds. The 13th sub-continental games were held for the third time in Nepal last year from December 1 to 10.