AFC suspends Tajikistan football player for failing dope test

INCHEON South Korea (Reuters) - Tajikistan player Khurshed Beknazarov has been provisionally suspended from all football activities after testing positive in a dope test at the Asian Games in Incheon, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said on Wednesday.

Beknazarov was thrown out of the Games and his accreditation was withdrawn on Tuesday after a test from a urine sample collected from the player on Sept. 14, after a match against Singapore, had shown the presence of a banned stimulant.

"Beknazarov is now banned from taking part in any football-related activity for 30 days. This can be further extended by 20 days," the AFC said in a statement.

"The matter will subsequently be decided at the next meeting of the AFC disciplinary committee. The Tajikistan Football Federation has been notified of this decision," it added.

Tajikistan defeated Singapore 1-0 during the match in the football preliminaries of the Games.

(Writing by Sudipto Ganguly in Mumbai; editing by Amlan Chakraborty)