A decade's worth of good memories built by the Chinese First Division Football League went down the toilet Tuesday night with news of the first positive dope test in the history of China football.

The China Football Association (CFA) announced the 'A' sample urine test of Zhang Shuai, a player with Beijing Hyundai, revealed traces of the banned substance ephedrine.

The sample was taken November 22 after a match between Beijing and eventual league champion Shanghai Shenhua.

If his 'B' sample test returns the same result, Zhang, a promising prospect for China's Olympic team, risks a ban of two to four years that would deal a hammer blow to his career.

Results from the 'B' sample test are expected to be released next week.

But Zhang proclaimed his innocence, insisting he ingested the substance accidentally in medicine to ward off a cold.

"I have never taken such kind of drug," Zhang said in a detailed statement to the CFA.

"Before the match against Shenhua I caught a bit of cold. Considering the fact that the team was in a tough situation at that time,I did not tell the team doctor and took some pills by myself.

"I feel extremely repentant now. I should have asked the doctor before taking the pills. But I never thought of the result after I took the drug test.

"I hope they will give me a chance and forgive the mistake I have done. I want to continue my football career."

Ephedrine gained notoriety when Argentina football giant Diego Maradona tested positive for the substance at the 1994 World Cup. It is a common additive to weight-loss pills and cold remedies.

Zhang's club is supporting the player's explanation, and has filed an appeal with the National Drug Test Centre.

"We have confirmed that Zhang mistakenly took the pills. But a professional player should have never made such a mistake," said Yang Zuwu, chief manager of Beijing Hyundai.

Yang also admitted the club should bear some responsibility.

"Our poor management in ways of players' food and medicine leads to such an accident. If Zhang is finally banned, the club should also take the punishment," Yang added.

According to CFA rules, if a player tests positive for drugs, the team he plays for will be ruled as a 0-3 loss. Meanwhile three more points will be deducted.

If the club is fined, Beijing's 2-1 win over Shanghai will be changed to 0-3 loss, which means Beijing will have six points deduced.

But Lang Xiaonong, director of CFA's league department, made it clear the situation will not affect the rankings for next year, when the Chinese First Division is replaced by the China Super League - the equivalent of England's Premier League.

"I have counted the points, and whether lose or win, the ranking will not be changed," said Lang.

He also reiterated that any player who tests positive will be banned from two to four years and fined from 5,000 yuan (US$600) to 10,000 yuan (US$1,200) while the coach will be banned one year and chief manager, team doctors and head coach are fined 10,000 yuan (US$1,200) apiece.

Things could become complicated because Beijing Hyundai played without a head coach in the latter part of the season. The position was replaced by a coaching group.

"The CFA makes the final decision. If they label me as the head coach, I have nothing to say,"said Yang Zuwu, leader of the coaching group.

Zhang's test result also sparked speculation and heated debate among fans.

"I do not think Zhang took the drug deliberately. I also hope everything will be OK for him." said Lu Bin, a strong supporter of Beijing Hyundai.

But the opposites also raised sharp views.

"I don't know if he did or not. Chinese football has been involved in a bunch of problems in the past 10 years. I won't be surprised if Zhang really took the drug," said Tan Xiao, a football enthusiast from Tsinghua University.

"This is ridiculous. Look at their poor performances. I don't think they can beat Japan or South Korea if they really take drugs," said another fan, He Xiang.

Anti-doping has been at the forefront of the international sports scene recently after a series of incidents involving tetrahydrogestrinone

(THG), a new substance identified after an anonymous coach sent the US Anti-Doping Agency a syringe containing the drug.

It was later linked to a number of big sports names and rocked track and field in Europe and North America.

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