Five boxers were among the latest batch of Saudi athletes that were meted out suspensions for doping offenses by the Disciplinary Committee of the Saudi Olympic Committee, the Saudi Press Agency reported yesterday.

Boxers Muhammad Al-Khodair and Bakar Al-Khaledi, both of Al-Sahil Club, Yahya Maashi and Sultan Maghrabi (Okaz Club), and Saud Ghazwani (Damak Club) all returned positive results for dope tests.

Also found to have failed the random drug testing conducted by SOC were karateka Majed Al-Khalifa of Hilal Club, volleyball players Yasser Al-Thobaity (Al-Ittihad) and Abdul Aziz Al-Rowaily (Al-Qala club), wrestler Raed Al-Zahrani (Al-Ittifaq) and judoka Naseeb Sharahili (Hera Club).

Last week, five athletes had been banned for similar offenses.

All of them have been barred from participation in events both inside the Kingdom and abroad for a period of two years. The penalty also includes withdrawal of their medals and certificates and invalidation of the results they achieved in major events.

The monitoring committee has also notified the concerned Saudi and international associations about the action taken against the violators of sports regulations, the SPA said.