Handball Federation Suspends National Team Coach for Doping Violation

Handball Federation Suspends National Team Coach for Doping ViolationHandball Federation Suspends National Team Coach for Doping Violation The International Handball Federation (IHF) has suspended the head coach of the Egyptian national handball team, David Davis, for two years after he tested positive for a banned substance. The suspension stems from a test conducted during the 2023 World Men’s Handball Championship in Poland and Sweden. Davis’s sample allegedly contained traces of stanozolol, an anabolic steroid prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). In a statement, the IHF Disciplinary Panel stated that it had “established a violation of the IHF Anti-Doping Regulations.” Davis has denied knowingly taking any banned substances. “I am deeply disappointed and shocked by the IHF’s decision,” Davis said. “I have never intentionally taken any prohibited substances and I will exhaust all available legal options to clear my name.” The Egyptian Handball Federation has expressed its support for Davis and said it will stand by him throughout the appeals process. “We believe in David’s innocence and we will fight to exonerate him,” said the federation president, Hassan Moustafa. The suspension is a major blow to the Egyptian national team, which is preparing for the upcoming Olympic Games in Tokyo. Davis had guided the team to a silver medal at the 2021 World Championships and was considered one of the top coaches in the world. The IHF has also launched an investigation into the source of the banned substance in Davis’s sample. If it is found that Davis did intentionally dope, he could face a lifetime ban from handball.