Saudi Arabia's long-distance runner Mohammed Yousef Al-Asiri and Ariana Evangelista, a mountain bike rider from the Philippines, have been announced as the latest athletes to test positive for banned substances during their stay here.

Provisional suspensions have been issued to both athletes by the International Testing Agency (ITA) which is helping to administer the drug-testing system at the Asian Games for the first time.

The ITA has revealed that Al-Asiri returned an adverse analytical finding for darbepoetin, a form of the blood booster erythropoietin (EPO), which is on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s banned list.

The sample in question was collected by the ITA during an out-of-competition anti-doping test carried out on September 26 - just three days after the Opening Ceremony of the Games.

Al-Asiri was due to compete in the men’s 10,000 metres race last Saturday (September 30) but did not participate.

The 34-year-old was also originally down to line-up in today's men’s 5,000m final before the ITA’s announcement.

The ITA said that Al-Asiri had been informed of the case and had the right to request the analysis of the B sample.

"The matter will thereafter be referred to the Anti-Doping Division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport [CAS ADD] for adjudication under the OCA [Olympic Council of Asia] anti-doping rules," a statement from the ITA read.

"Given that the case is underway, there will be no further comments during the ongoing proceeding."

It was also revealed by the ITA that Evangelista had produced a adverse analytical finding for EPO.

Two samples of Evangelista’s blood and urine were picked up the ITA during an out-of-competition test performed on September 24.

It came just one day before Evangelista participated in the women’s cross-country event where she finished 13th.

The ITA said it had also notified Evangelista and gave her the opportunity to request for checks on the B sample.

It added that it would be making no further comment during the proceedings with the case expected to be referred to the CAS ADD for adjudication under the OCA anti-doping rules.

The announcement of the positive tests by the ITA comes just days after Afghan boxer Mohammad Khaibar Nooristani became the first athlete to be announced as failing a drugs test at Hangzhou 2022.

Nooristani was defeated in the round of 32 in the men's boxing tournament by Mongolia's Tuguldur Byambatsogt on September 25.

It is the first time the ITA is supporting the anti-doping programme at an Asian Games after signing a partnership with the OCA last year.