Mandeep denies dope taint, confident of bouncing back
July 3rd, 2011 - 1:31 pm ICT by IANSAmritsar, July 3 (IANS) India’s leading female quarter-miler Mandeep Kaur, who failed a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) dope test, Sunday said she is innocent and hopeful of getting a clean chit when she appears before a special panel July 15.
“My heart knows that I am innocent and I have not taken any banned drug. This is why I have not stopped practising and I am hopeful of getting a clean chit when I appear before the special committee on July 15. Winning an Olympics gold for the country is my dream,” Mandeep told IANS Sunday.
“It is not the end of life and I would face this problem with true sportsmanship. There is still a long way to go to prove my mettle,” added Mandeep, a gold medallist in the 4×400 metres relay in the Commonwealth and Asian Games.
Mandeep condemned Athletics Federation of India (AFI) for not providing her a proper doctor or physician, who could have guided her while taking supplements.
“I have never taken steroids in my entire life. Why should I take them? I have more faith in hard work rather than other performance enhancing drugs. Now failing in the dope test is a big shock. AFI did not provide any good doctor to guide me regarding my diet,” she pointed out.
Mandeep tested positive for methandienone and stanozolol. Stanozolol is one of the oldest anabolic agents and Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson was disqualified for taking it during the 1988 Olympics.
Mandeep’s mother Sarabjit Kaur also came out in support of her daughter.
“My daughter has won many laurels for the country and she cannot be left in the lurch like this. She is very disciplined in life and dedicated towards her game. I think that someone is falsely implicating my daughter to settle some personal score,” Sarabjit told IANS.
“But still we have full faith in god and we are sure that Mandeep will come out clean from this mess,” she added.
Mandeep hails from Cheema Khurd village in Tarn Taran district of Punjab.
After the doping fiasco, many fingers were raised at athletes’ coaches and against people associated with them.
“We also want our players to win medals and cannot prompt them to take a banned drug. It is not right to hold coaches responsible if any of their players test positive in a dope test. We always guide our players to have a healthy diet,” Gurbax Singh, Indian boxing coach, told IANS.
- Mandeep blames federation for not providing team doctor - Jul 01, 2011
- Five fresh doping cases in athletics, IOA orders probe (Lead) - Jun 30, 2011
- Mandeep, Juana ask for food supplements to be examined (Lead) - Jul 01, 2011
- IOA demands judicial inquiry in doping scandal - Jul 01, 2011
- Asiad, CWG gold winner Ashwini joins dope-tainted stars (Roundup) - Jul 04, 2011
- Five athletes flunk dope tests - Jun 30, 2011
- Athletics body transfers Mandeep, Juana dope cases to NADA - Jul 20, 2011
- I am innocent, says Ashwini Akkunji - Jul 07, 2011
- Dope tainted runners Mandeep and Juana's hearing adjourned - Jul 15, 2011
- Asiad, CWG gold winner Ashwini, Priyanka also fail dope test (Lead) - Jul 04, 2011
- India's athletes Mandeep, Juana fail dope tests, suspended (Lead) - Jun 30, 2011
- Doping scandal to haunt India for long - Jul 10, 2011
- Indian runners Mandeep and Murmu suspended after failed dope test - Jun 29, 2011
- Eight athletes failing dope test is unusual: athletics coach - Jul 31, 2011
- Four NIS officials removed, NADA to test food supplements (Lead) - Jul 06, 2011
Tags: 1988 olympics, anabolic agents, asian games, canadian sprinter, clean chit, dope test, faith in god, gold medallist, good doctor, kaur, methandienone, mettle, performance enhancing drugs, personal score, special committee, sprinter ben johnson, stanozolol, true sportsmanship, wada, world anti doping agency