Thaindian News

Patiala/New Delhi, July 6 (IANS) A day after Sports Minister Ajay Maken vowed to clean up the system in the wake of the doping scandal, heads have started rolling. The Sports Authority of India (SAI) Wednesday removed four officials of the National Institute of Sports (NIS) in Patiala.

SAI’s executive director L.S. Ranawat said steps are being taken to make NIS drug-free. The local administration also cracked the whip, sleuths of the state drugs authority conducting surprise raids at medical stores near the NIS campus.

The National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) Wednesday asked the dope tainted athletes to submit their food supplements for testing as they claimed innocence.

Ranawat said a first information report (FIR) has been filed to initiate action against local chemists, who were selling banned drugs without prescriptions. Ranawat also said that Ukrainian coach Yuri Ogorodnik, who has been sacked, has been asked to stay on in the country to complete investigations.

“We have taken several actions to ensure a drug-free sports environment in the campus. Two officials attached with the athletes training programme and two women officials of the elite women’s hostel have been removed,” said Ranawat. Two doctors, including one lady doctor, have been appointed, he added.

“We have filed an FIR with police to initiate action against local chemists who are selling schedule H drugs without prescription. The Drugs Controller General of India and the State Drug Controller have also been approached for taking necessary actions against the erring chemists,” he said.

Ranawat said the SAI is also trying to educate the players on anti-doping.

“Lectures are being arranged for athletes, coaches and support staffs to enlighten them on the drugs banned by World Anti Doping Agency (WADA),” he said.

Officials of the NIS admitted that such banned drugs are easily available in stores near the complex.

“There are many shops, situated close to NIS, which are selling performance enhancing drugs. They are easily available and anybody can go and buy them. This crackdown should have happened long time back,” said a senior NIS official, requesting anonymity.

NADA director-general Rahul Bhatnagar told IANS that three athletes Sini Jose, Juana Murmu and Tiana Mary Thomas, who appeared before the disciplinary panel for the B sample test, have requested the agency to test their food supplements. The trio have tested positive for methandienone.

“The results of B sample are expected by tomorrow or day after. The three athletes requested NADA to test their food supplements. We have asked them to submit their application along with the samples of their supplements,” said Bhatnagar.

The NADA director-general was surprised that six of the eight athletes have tested positive for the same substance methandienone.

“Since this is a strange case, we decided to test their food supplements,” said Bhatnagar.

Jose, a gold medallist in the 4×400 metres relay in the Commonwealth and the Asian Games, blamed the coaches for the doping scandal.

“We had taken vitamins. Our coaches gave us some vitamins. We are innocent,” she said.

Indian sports was rocked by eight athletes testing positive for banned drugs. India’s golden girls Sini Jose, Mandeep Kaur and Ashwini Akkunji, who won gold medals in the 4×400 metres relay in the Commonwealth and Asian Games, along with five other athletes have flunked dope tests conducted by WADA and NADA.