The MAAA have issued a provisional suspension against a male sprinter who has reportedly missed a doping test.

The Malta Amateur Athletics Association (MAAA) have provisionally suspended one of its leading athletes after being notified by the National Anti-Doping Organisation (NADO) that the male sprinter may have committed a doping violation.

Well-informed sources have told Times of Malta that the sprinter was due to undergo an out-of-competition doping test earlier this year but was nowhere to be seen when officials from NADO turned up at the Marsa athletics track.

It is understood that the NADO testers wrote in their report that the athlete “absconded” when they showed up to carry out the test.

The Maltese Olympic Committee have also been informed about the case.

Skipping a doping test is considered a serious violation and the MAAA have taken the first step of issuing a provisional suspension against the sprinter.

The young athlete is expected to have a hearing in front of an independent panel appointed by the local governing body of athletics next month.

The outcome of the hearing will be referred to NADO and the sprinter will ultimately have to appear in front of the organisation’s Disciplinary Panel where he will be given the opportunity to defend himself and explain his actions.

It is understood that the sprinter at the centre of this doping issue has already represented the country at the 2013 Games of the Small States of Europe (GSSE), held in Luxembourg, and the 2014 European Team Championships in Georgia.

He had been widely tipped to form part of the MAAA contingent for this year’s GSSE, being held in Iceland in June.