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Malaysia could lose wushu gold to RI
Striking gold: Indonesian wushu athlete Juwita Niza Wasmi performs at the 17th Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, on Sept
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span class="inline inline-center">Striking gold: Indonesian wushu athlete Juwita Niza Wasmi performs at the 17th Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, on Sept. 20. Juwita, who won silver, is to be promoted to the gold medal position. Antara/Saptono
Indonesian athlete Juwita Niza Wasni looks almost certain to have her wushu silver medal upgraded to gold following a report that Malaysia's gold medalist, Tai Cheau Xuen, could lose her gold in the nanquan/nandou event because of doping.
'A Malaysian official told Bu Rita [Subowo] today that they [Malaysia] had lost [wushu] gold,' secretary of the Indonesian delegation, Teguh Trilaksono, told The Jakarta Post.
Rita, the president of the Indonesian Olympic Council (KOI), arrived on Tuesday for her second visit to Incheon. The likely additional gold medal will give Indonesia a total of four gold, five silver and eight bronze medals, a collection still far below the initial target of nine gold medals.
Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) director-general Husain al Musallam said in a statement that the banned stimulant sibutramine ' often found in weight-loss pills ' was found in a urine sample taken from Tai after the competition on Sept. 20, Associated Press reported.
According to Reuters, it was the second time the substance had been detected at the Games, where 9,500 athletes were taking part.
However, the official announcement of the failed test was delayed because Tai and the Malaysian Olympic Committee had asked for the B-sample to be examined, officials said.
Malaysia chief of mission Danyal Balagopal said the team would appeal the decision, but did not say on what basis. 'Obviously when we say we will appeal we have strong reasons,' he said, as quoted by Agence France-Presse.
Meanwhile, Indonesia's soft tennis team missed an early shot at gold after Edi Kusdaryanto was defeated in the final.
Edi, who advanced to the final after beating Zhou Mo of China in the semifinal, lost to Kim Hyeong-jun of South Korea 4-2, 4-2, 4-0, 4-0, 4-2 at the Yeorumul Tennis Courts on Tuesday. The hosts also won women's singles gold through Kim Bo-mi, who beat Chen Hui of China 1-4, 5-3, 4-1, 4-2, 4-1
The Indonesian team still has a chance of meeting its gold expectation as soft tennis has five gold medals up for grabs in the next four days.
Rita called for the continued support of athletes remaining at the Games while also taking into account those who failed in their medal pursuits.
'Some athletes have gone home and we must appreciate all athletes and coaches. We should keep supporting those athletes still competing. They have yet to finish their jobs,' she said earlier.
