New Delhi: Dope tainted trio of Sini Jose, Jauna Murmu and Tiana Mary Thomas face possible two year ban as their confirmatory ‘B’ sample test also returned positive for anabolic steroids on Friday.
The trio had their ‘B’ sample tests done at the National Dope Testing Laboratory on Monday and the results which came today confirmed their dope flunk.
Sini and Jauna had tested positive for methandionone while Mary Thomas had another anabolic steroid epimethandiol in her urine sample collected during the June 11-14 National Inter-State Meet in Bangalore.
“Sini, Jauna and Mary Thomas’ ‘B’ sample also tested positive for anabolic steroids. Under procedure they will now appear before a NADA disciplinary panel and if found guilty, their maximum punishment would be two-year ban as it would be their first dope offence,” a NADA source said.
All of them had pleaded innocence, saying that the vitamin supplements they consumed while training could have been contaminated.
Sini was one of the members of the women’s 4x400m relay quartet that won gold in the Commonwealth and Asian Games last year. Jauna finished fourth in the 400m hurdles in the Asian Games.
Mary Thomas was a member of the gold-winning 4x400m relay team in the South Asian Federation Games in Dhaka last year.
Ukraine coach blames contaminated food supplements
India’s sacked Ukrainian athletics coach Yuri Ogorodnik on Friday said “contaminated” food supplements could be the reason behind six of his trainees failing dope tests.
The coach also blamed the Sports Authority of India (SAI) for not providing basic facilities, modern food supplements and doctors to the athletes.
“I cannot believe the girls tested positive for the same anabolic steroid. I have never given any anabolic steroid to any athlete. I am not to blame for it. The athletes have taken only food supplements and those could be contaminated,” Ogorodnik said.
“I did not play any role in the doping scandal. I have been set up and this is an attempt to tarnish my reputation,” he said.
“We bought supplements together. I have given them only food supplements and no other tablets. If somebody mix something with food supplements how would you know that?”
Six quarter-milers — Sini Jose, Ashwini Akkunji, Mandeep Kaur, Juana Murmu, Tiana Mary Thomas and Priyanka Pawar — who were being coached by Ogorodnik have tested positive for methandienone.
“I write the schedule but I have never mentioned any anabolic drugs. I am a professional coach.”
Ogorodnik said the athletes had to buy food supplements from outside as supplements provided by the SAI were not up to the mark.
“They ((SAI) give us only vitamins and proteins because they don’t have money. For Olympics you need modern food supplements which are very costly.”
“SAI protein and vitamin supplements are insufficient. So we bought those from a chemist in Patiala which might be contaminated,” said the Ukrainian coach.
The coach also reiterated that he fears for his life in India. (Agencies)