New Delhi: Tamil Nadu lapper Gomathi Marimuthu is in big trouble after failing the dope test for the second time on Tuesday. A temporary ban has been put on her till a decision is made.
Doha Asian Athletics Championship 800m gold medallist has failed a dope test for a banned steroid at last month’s Doha Asians and now faces a four-year ban. She had tested positive in the Federation Cup held more than a month before that but the National Anti-Doping Agency appears to have kept quiet about it.
Talking to The Hindu, Gomathi expressed her surprise at failing the test and said: “I don’t know what really happened, I will surely be asking for my ‘B’ sample to be tested.”
Incidentally, Gomathi Marimuthu was supposed to leave from Delhi for Spala on Tuesday with a bunch of athletes for training and competition but the federation has now stopped her from going.
She tested positive in both (Federation Cup and Asians),” confirmed Adille Sumariwalla, the AFI president.
“We have zero tolerance to doping. As far as we are concerned, she is immediately suspended provisionally. She has the right to get her ‘B’ sample tested. If she is innocent and her ‘B’ sample is okay, we take her back, otherwise, straight away she is suspended for four years.”
“We tested all those who were not in the national camp when they came here for the Federation Cup but the results came late,” said chief national coach Bahadur Singh.
India is now on the verge of losing one of the three Doha Asian golds and this could lead to a lot of embarrassment which could have been avoided if the results had come on time.
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Ms Kalinga