A boxer who cited his Muslim beliefs to refuse a doping test because he didn't want to expose himself to drug testers was given a two-year ban Thursday by the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority.

ASADA said Omar Al-Shaick failed to provide a urine sample during an unannounced, out-of-competition test in Brisbane on June 13, 2006.

The Australian agency said the Lausanne, Switzerland-based Court of Arbitration for Sport determined that Al-Shaick had committed an anti-doping rule violation by refusing to submit to a request for sample collection after official notification.

It said that offense carries a maximum penalty of a two-year suspension for the first offense under the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Code.

"The athlete did not genuinely believe that it was contrary to his religious beliefs for him to give a urine sample in circumstances where strangers would have to observe that sample leaving his body," ASADA quoted the CAS as saying.

"The giving of urine samples in this way is a universal, worldwide practice mandated by the WADA code. It is a practice that applies to athletes irrespective of their creed or religion. It is a practice which, apparently has applied to countless other athletes who happen to be Muslims without any such objection."

ASADA chairman Richard Ings said the sanction was a reminder to all athletes that they must comply with any request by a doping official.

"This decision by the CAS reaffirms the long standing and strict obligation on athletes under the WADA Code to provide urine samples on request, irrespective of personal belief," Ings said.

Ings said the suspension will be backdated to Al-Shaick's last competition, meaning the boxer will be eligible to resume competition on September 1, 2008.

Al-Shaick's trainer Chris McMullen said the result was not unexpected, and the now 20-year-old had made the decision to resume boxing once the sanction ends.

"Originally he was going to give it up, concentrating on his work and that, but he said that he wants to stay on and fight," he said.

McMullen said Al-Shaick, who now works as an apprentice carpenter, was a deeply religious man but was open to discussing how he might deal with anti-doping tests in the future.