The Sports Authority of India (SAI) has stated that the dietary supplements that were supplied to disabled athlete Sharad Kumar were purchased by the athlete in Bangalore and it had nothing to do with the procurement of the same.
Sharad Kumar, a disabled athlete who was getting ready to compete in the recent Paralympics in London, had tested positive for steroid stanozolol at a camp in Bangalore last June and is facing disciplinary charges before a panel headed by Rajeev Kapoor.
On Friday, confronted with the SAI submission, Sharad said that he never purchased any supplement nor did he make any payment towards such purchase.
According to the documents filed by the SAI the invoice issued by the supplier was in the name of Sharad Kumar and he was shown to have made a payment of Rs. 5,228 for the purchase of a protein supplement and other products.
Sharad told the panel that he never stepped out the SAI complex in Bangalore except to go to a temple once a week and that he as well as other para athletes training there had taken their supplements quota from Dr. Sarla of the SAI.
He said he had taken his full quota of supplements but used only one named Intense Mass. In his previous submissions, Sharad, a high jumper who at one stage was the world No. 1 and favourite for the title in the London Games, had alleged that some athlete or athletes had “sabotaged” his stock of supplements, resulting in a ‘positive’ test in his urine sample.
The panel may need to get the versions of several others involved in this episode including the doctor at SAI, Bangalore, other athletes, coaches and the officials of the Paralympic Committee of India.
It may need to trace the payments since Sharad has said that though his name might be there on the invoice he had not signed any requisition for the supply nor made any payment. He said he signed a paper while taking his quota of supplements from Dr. Sarla.
