Six female track athletes from India are trying to explain why they tested positive for anabolic steroids in May and June 2011. The six top female 400 meter sprinters in India appeared before the India National Anti-Doping Disciplinary panel to describe the “exceptional circumstances” that resulted in the presence of Dianabol and Winstrol metabolites in their urine samples.
Mandeep Kaur, Ashwini A. C., Sini Jose, Jauna Murmu, Tiana Mary Thomas and Priyanka Panwar all tested positive for the anabolic steroid methandienone. Methandienone is the generic name for Dianabol. Kaur and Thomas also tested positive for stanozolol. Stanzolol is the generic name for Winstrol.
R.K. Anand, the defense lawyer for the athletes, relied heavily on an investigation conducted by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) to support his defense.
Anand argued that his clients should not be held to the “strict liability” standard of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) code because the steroid positives did not result from any fault or negligence on their part. Instead, he placed blame on a ginseng supplement and on Ukrainian coach Yuriy Ogorodonik.
The Sports Authority of India (SAI) tested the same supplements used by the six athletes. The SAI determined that the Dianabol and Winstrol positives were due to a contaminated ginseng supplement purchased in Guangzhou, China by Ogorodonik. Unfortunately, the origin of the the tested supplements has not been independently verified.
Coach Ogorodonik reportedly admitted buying and supplying the six athletes with the supplement according to SAI.
But in a written statement, Ogorodonik only acknowledged recommending certain supplements. He submitted that the athletes were the ones that purchased the ginseng suppplements at a market in China. He also submitted that he never advised the use of anabolic steroids.
Ogorodonik was fired from his coaching job on the Indian National Team and had left the country. Consequently, he was unavailable for cross-examination in order to explain the discrepancy.
Prosecutors have also requested additional time to verify the origin of the supplements tested by the SAI.
The athletes face a two-year suspension if the disciplinary panel determines they are guilty of a steroid violation.
Source
Mohan, K. (November 18, 2011). Doping imbroglio: Ogorodonik does not support SAI version in written statement. Retrieved from http://www.thehindu.com/sport/other-sports/article2636878.ece
Related Posts :
- Russian Athlete Tells Olympic Officials to Go to Hell After Testing Positive for Steroids
- Shotputter Adam Nelson May Receive Athens Gold After Winner Tested Positive for Steroids
- Officials Still Catching Steroid Users from the 2004 Athens Olympics
- Olympic Discus Thrower Loses Silver Medal After Testing Positive for Anabolic Steroids
