Former St Kilda Saint Ahmed Saad is clear to return to the AFL in 2015 after the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority failed to have the small forward’s 18-month ban for using a prohibited substance increased.
Saad copped the extended suspension in August last year when he tested to positive to the banned methylsynephrine, found in the pre-workout energy drink “Before Battle”. The AFL Players’ Association had hoped to have the ban thrown out in Tuesday’s appeal process, but were instead forced to settle for the possibility of Saad returning to senior footy next season.
Delisted by the Saints at the end of last season, the 24-year-old Saad has a chance to find his way back onto an AFL list after kicking 45 goals for the St Kilda in 29 appearances over two seasons.
“I am relieved that this is all over, it has been a very long and hard 10 months on myself and everyone around me,” Saad said in a statement released by his management, Blue Rock Sports.
“I’ll continue training hard to give myself the best opportunity to come back next season.”
Saad is eligible to be selected in the 2014 draft and will see his ban lifted before Round 1 of the 2015 season.
Geelong will go into Thursday’s showdown with Sydney minus key defensive pieces Corey Enright and Tom Lonergan.
Neither player made the team’s flight on Wednesday and will make the Cats’ job of defending the impressive Swans forward line all the more difficult.
Lonergan was expected to take Lance Franklin, who has improved mightily in his last two outings alongside the finally fit Kurt Tippett, and failed concussion tests stemming from last weekend’s brutal win over North Melbourne.
The 33-year-old Enright suffered a minor ankle injury against the Kangaroos and is expected to be right to take on Carlton at Etihad Stadium on Friday, June 6.
Franklin kicked a season high five goals in the Swans’ Round 9 win over Essendon and has tallied 39 disposals, 18 marks and 15 shots on goals in his last two matches while Tippett has kicked seven straight in the two matches since returning to the Sydney lineup.
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