Athletes appeal against ban
Athletics: Ashwini, team-mates hopeful of getting suspension period reduced
Asian Games double gold medallist Ashwini Akkunji and three others athletes on Thursday appealed against the one-year ban imposed on them by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) for use of prohibited steroids.
Tiana Mary Thomas, Priyanka Pawar and Sini Jose are the other three athletes contesting the ban. The four are among six women quartermilers banned by a three-member NADA anti-disciplinary panel on December 23.
The other two, Mandeep Kaur and Jauna Murmu, however, cannot appeal to the NADA panel as they failed in the dope tests conducted by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and will have to approach the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
This step from the athletes is a last-ditch effort to get a reprieve before the qualifiers for the London Olympics. The Olympic qualification period for the relay teams ends on July 2, while July 8 is the deadline for individuals.
The sanction will commence from the dates of provisional suspension of the athletes by NADA and if it holds, then the athletes’ chances of making the Olympics will more or less be dashed.
The suspension period of Ashwini and Priyanka began on July 4 while that of of Sini and Tiana on June 30. Mandeep and Jauna’s suspension period started on June 23. This means the return of Ashwini, Priyanka and Sini would be after the relay qualification deadline.
In its verdict, the panel had acknowledged that the athletes had ingested the banned substance through a contaminated food supplement, Ginseg kianpi pill, which was bought by coach Yuri Ogorodnik at the Asian Games Village in Guangzhou.
A source close to the athletes said they were not expecting more than six months’ punishment.
“The verdict was in their favour, the panel acknowledged the steroids were taken through a contaminated supplement. Then why a one-year-ban? The Olympics come once in four years and the players want to do everything to make the cut,” the source told Deccan Herald.
“The athletes have not given up and are hopeful of a reduction of the ban. They are training hard to be ready if and when the chance appears.”
NADA is also studying legal procedures to take a decision on whether or not to appeal for a longer ban period. It is understood that NADA will take a decision in a day or a two.
