The 37-year-old Hussain, the only Iraqi athlete on Iraq’s Beijing 2008 team after training within the war-torn country, tested positive for the two substances at an in-competition test in Rades in Tunisia in June 2021.

Under AIU rules which deem athletes responsible for any adverse substances in their system, whether they are aware of them or not, Hussain has received a three-year ban from July 16 in 2021, with six months suspended for offering "substantial assistance", meaning she will be free to compete again from January next year.

After a protracted enquiry Mohammed provided the AIU with an email on December 22 last year admitting anti-doping rule violations (ADRV) and acceptance of consequences.

"The AIU notes that the severity of the ADRVs in this case are significant and egregious," an AIU release said.

"The coach has fundamentally abused his trusted position as an athlete support person and admitted to deliberately opportunistic behaviour aimed specifically at doping an athlete, in-competition, without her knowledge, so as to enhance her performance and thereby his own reputation.

“That conduct, in the view of the AIU, is so serious as to justify a lifetime period of Ineligibility from the sport of athletics."

In an initial report passed on the the AIU the coach "confirmed that he was responsible for the athlete’s training and nutritional supplements, vitamins and mineral salts without her [the athlete’s] knowledge of the contents of these substances'. 

"The coach also confirmed that he was responsible for the adverse analytical finding, in the following terms: 'I confirm that the player [i.e., the athlete] is not aware of the materials that I gave her and she is not responsible.

"'I am responsible, but I do not know that they contain international [prohibited] materials'.”

Mohammed later confirmed to the AIU the details of his written explanations, but also clarified that he had been advised by a friend of the benefits of using stanozolol and clenbuterol in combination to enhance performance/weight loss, and that he purchased those substances on that advice.

He also confirmed, contrary to what he had stated in his written explanations, that he was fully aware that both stanozolol and clenbuterol were prohibited substances when he purchased them and gave them to the athlete.

The coach later admitted he was “responsible for the adverse analytical finding and that he had taken the opportunity of the athlete experiencing a painful medical condition to deliberately give her two types of pills (which he maintained he did not know were prohibited substances) to ensure that the athlete obtained a favourable result and to enhance his profile as a coach."

Due to the International Olympic Committee ban on Iraq competing at 2008 in Olympics in Beijing, there were concerns that Hussain might be unable to participate, despite qualifying for the 100 and 200 metres.

The ban was, however, subsequently lifted.

Hussain competed in the women’s 100 m at Beijing 2008, finishing sixth in her first-round heat in 12.36sec.

She won 100m gold at the 2011 Pan Arab Games in Doha in a time of 11.88, 200m silver in 24.61 and 400m bronze in 55.48.

At London 2012, Hussain finished second in her preliminary heat in the 100m but then finished last in her heat won by the United States' Allyson Felix.

To read the full decision on Mohammed click here.