Saveh Shemshaki, who carried Iran’s flag at the Opening Ceremony, has been provisionally suspended by the International Testing Agency (ITA) after he was found to have taken metabolite of dehydrochloromethyl testosterone.

The ITA confirmed that Saveh Shemshaki’s sample was collected at an out-of-competition anti-doping control on February 7 before the result of the drugs test was reported by the World Anti-Doping Agency-accredited laboratory in Beijing on February 9.

Under the provisional ban, Saveh Shemshaki will be unable to compete, train, coach or participate in any activity during the Winter Olympics.

Saveh Shemshaki admitted there was "no reason to use the anabolic steroid" to compete at Beijing 2022 and blamed himself for the positive test.

"It’s always bad when something like this happens but I have to say it was not intentional," Saveh Shemshaki said in a video reported by Iranian newspaper Tehran Times.

"I am well aware that I’m responsible for what I use and I want the Iranian people forgive me for my negligence.

"I knew that I had no chance to win a medal in the 2022 Winter Olympics, so there was no reason to use anabolic steroid."

Saveh Shemshaki was given the chance by the ITA challenge the provisional suspension at the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s Anti-Doping Division.

He can also request analysis of the B-sample.

Shemshaki was named as a flagbearer along with fellow Alpine skier Atefeh Ahmadi for the Opening Ceremony at Beijing 2022 after cross-country skier Seyed Sattar Seyd was ruled out of the Games after contracting COVID-19.

The 36-year-old and Ahmedi are Iran’s only representatives at this year’s Winter Olympics.

Saveh Shemshaki also carried the Iranian flag at the Vancouver 2010 Closing Ceremony and the Sochi 2014 Opening Ceremony.

His best performance at the Games was a 31st place finish in the men’s slalom at Sochi 2014 where he also came 55th in the giant slalom.

At Vancouver 2010, Saveh Shemshaki finished 41st in the slalom and 70th in the giant slalom.