The lone participant in the 100m event at the Delhi State meet, which grabbed headlines after all the other finalists fled when National Anti-Doping (NADA) officials arrived, has failed a dope test. The athlete, who had competed alone after the rest of the field did not turn up for the final, tested positive for anabolic steroid drostanolone metabolite, frequently used in bodybuilding to boost strength and reduce fat.
The athlete was intimated about the adverse analytical findings via e-mail by NADA officials in October. The report, that The Indian Express has accessed, says the test was conducted on September 26 – the day of the 100m final.
The athlete in question has denied taking any performance-enhancing substance and believes he has been framed. “Agar maine dope liya hota toh mai final me aata hi nahi.(Had I taken any performance-enhancing drugs, I would have fled like the rest). I have never taken any drugs… I feel some coaches are involved in framing me,” he told the paper.
The athlete said he would not lodge an appeal with NADA to test his B sample as he did not have the money for the test fee. “I went to the NADA office and was told that I have to pay Rs 16,500 for my B sample to be tested. My career has been ruined even before it started. To appeal, I need to find some kind of proof and I don’t have any right now. I took protein supplements and maybe they were contaminated…,” the athlete claimed.
The athlete in question has denied taking any performance-enhancing substance and believes he has been framed. (FILE)
A senior official of the Delhi Athletics Association confirmed the development and added that the state body is making every effort to clean up the sport in the capital. “We are doing the best we can. We encourage testing at our competitions. To curb such incidents in the future, we will try to educate athletes and coaches on the adverse effects of doping,” the official said.
Catching the global eye
The Indian Express had reported the Delhi State meet fiasco in September, which prompted even the global governing body of the sport, World Athletics, and World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to express concern about the malaise. WADA, in a mail to The Indian Express, had confirmed that they were monitoring the situation.
“I spoke to NADA yesterday and we want them to be at state meets. In my discussion with NADA, I told them that we would let them know where and when the state meets are taking place. India’s reputation is at stake. Today we are number 2 (in doping). If we don’t stop this, we will have an even bigger problem. We don’t want that to happen if we have to bid for the Olympic Games. We have to resolve this problem,” Athletics Federation of India Adille Sumariwalla, who is also a vice-president of World Athletics, told reporters at the recent annual general meeting of the national federation.
The doping menace has plagued Indian athletics for a long time, especially at the junior level where testing and monitoring haven’t been as stringent. Reigning Olympic and World Champion in javelin throw, Neeraj Chopra also expressed his worry about doping at a recent The Indian Express Idea exchange.
“ We know we have the capacity and can do well without doping. Be sensible, give it time and don’t chase quick results. Maybe, kids don’t get financial support from their families and think they need instant results. But I will urge families to stay patient. Many have capabilities, but doping stops them from doing well. Natural diet, training, technique and proper recovery — if they focus on these, it can lead to medals for India. Money will come automatically if you compete at a high level,” Chopra said.
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