As the National Anti-Doping Agency of India continuously test athletes for performance enhancing drugs, the country’s chance of winning gold medals in the 2012 London Olympics is also waning. A few days ago, two of their women track athletes failed a doping test. They were part of the 6 new athletes found using anabolic steroids. Track gold medalist Mandeep Kaur and Sini Jose were provisionally suspended while their B samples are tested. The two women runners helped the country win gold in the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games last year. They competed in the 4×400m relay category.

Kaur told the local media that she was not taking any banned substance. “I have full faith that I did nothing wrong. I don’t understand what’s happened. There could have been problems with food supplements or minerals that we have taken,” she said. Kaur knows that steroids stays in the body for months so taking them would just put her career in danger. The track and field athlete is firm that she will prove her innocence. “I’m not giving up. I will practice for the Olympics,” she added.

2-Year Ban, No Olympics

If the B samples of these athletes still returned positive for steroids, they will definitely received an automatic two year ban from the sport. NADA director-general Rahul Bhatnagar already hinted that it would be difficult for these athletes to evade suspension because they competed in the national level. “With steroids I’m doubtful if they would get a reprieve. If they’re banned for two years, they won’t get a chance to compete in the Olympics,” Bhatnagar told AFP.

V.K. Malhotra, the acting president of the Indian Olympic Association, also want harsh punishment on these athletes once found guilty. “The winning of medals at the cost of shame to the entire nation is not proper,” he told a local TV network. The Olympic official also asked the Athletics Federation to impose a mandatory drug testing of all athletes before competing in any game. Malhotra admitted that this incident will affect their chances of getting gold in the coming Olympics.

Food Supplements and Coaches Blamed

These athletes contend that that failed test could be due to food supplements. However, the Athletics Federation of India doubts that this is a case of tainted supplement. “There is no chance these steroids came from the food supplements being given at the national camps,” said AFI director M L Dogra. Nevertheless, the AFI will conduct an inquiry to know whether this large number of positive test was caused by food supplements taken by athletes from outside national camps.

Another issue raised by some observers is the presence of Ukrainian coaches in India’s training pool. There have been previous incidents where Ukranian coaches were involved in giving steroids to their trainees. However, the AFI brushed aside this allegation. “The talk of foreign coaches being hand in glove are also not true,” Dogra said.

Athletes on Anabolic Steroids

Aside from Kaur and Jose, two female 400m runners were also caught positive for steroids. They were Jauna Murmu and Tiana Mary Thomas. Jauna tested positive for the metabolites of methandienone while Thomas returned positive for Stanozolol and epimethandiol. The test for Sini Jose, long jumper Harikrishnan and Haryana shot-putter Sonia also returned positive for methandienone metabolites.

Increase the number of Steroid Testing

The increasing number of positive test for anabolic steroid is a continuing concern for NADA. In just a span of 1 year, the total number of athletes caught using anabolic steroids already reached to 122. The anti-doping agency doesn’t want their athletes bring more shame to the country when the London 2012 Olympics begin. According to NADA director, they will intensify the drug testing including surprise tests and even checking the player’s locker room if needed.

NADA is hoping to complete at least 3,500 steroid tests this year. “We want to make it 4,500 next year, so that it acts as a deterrent for any athlete contemplating a shortcut to success,” said Bhatnagar.

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