SARAJEVO, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Alen Ovcina, a handball national of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), was suspended for four years by the European Handball Federation (EHF), state-owned public broadcaster FTV said on Tuesday.
The Court of Handball has announced its decision to suspend Ovcina for committing a violation of anti-doping rules.
Ovcina tested positive for the prohibited substance 19-norandrosterone, a metabolite of an anabolic steroid, and must remain off the court until December 2026, said the EHF.
The doping test was conducted in October 2022, when Slovenia and BiH met in the Men's EHF EURO 2024 Qualifiers.
Ovcina has the right to file an appeal with the Court of Appeal, according to the EHF.
The lengthy ban for the 35-year-old could mean the end of his career. He currently plays for Sloboda from Tuzla, some 120 kilometers north of the Bosnian capital Sarajevo. ■
