Six suspended female 400m runners have been given training facilities at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) Northern Regional Centre, Sonepat, Haryana, in violation of the World Anti Doping Code.
Following their suspension for anti-doping rule violations last December, the athletes had shifted base from Patiala to Sonepat with the approval of the SAI and apparently with the blessings of the Union Sports Ministry. Immediately after they were provisionally suspended in June-July last, the six athletes — Mandeep Kaur, Ashwini A.C., Sini Jose, Jauna Murmu, Priyanka Panwar and Tiana Mary Thomas — had moved out of the National Institute of Sports (NIS), Patiala.
For a while they continued to train at Patiala, though outside the NIS complex, with some of them renting a private accommodation.
The authorities would have been within their rights to extend the NIS facilities during the provisional suspension period but once the one-year suspensions were imposed on December 23 last, the situation changed.
Perhaps in order to avoid limelight, the SAI shifted them to Sonepat after having considered the option of extending the facilities at the LNCPE, Thiruvananthapuram at one stage. The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) Monitoring Committee on Olympics was told at a meeting here on Thursday that the SAI had arranged the athletes' training at Sonepat. Harbans Singh, former coach of the men's 4x400m relay team, has been entrusted the responsibility of training.
The SAI is learnt to have explained at the meeting that the runners were only suspended from competition and there could be no restrictions on their training or in being provided official support.
It is true that there cannot be any restriction on their training. However, as for government support the situation could be different.
“No athlete or other person who has been declared ineligible may, during the period of ineligibility participate in any capacity in a competition or activity (other than authorised anti-doping education or rehabilitation programs) authorised or organised by any Signatory, Signatory's member organisation, or a club or other member organisation of a Signatory's member organisation…” says the Code.
A comment to the above provision in the Code explains that an athlete cannot participate in a training camp organised by his or her National federation during the suspension period.
The Code further says: “In addition, for any anti-doping rule violation not involving a reduced sanction for Specified Substances as described in Article 10.4, some or all sport-related financial support or other sport-related benefits received by such Person will be withheld by Signatories, Signatories' member organisations and governments.”
The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) and the IOA are signatories to the Code. The Union Government is a signatory to the UNESCO Convention against Doping in Sports. The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), of which the Athletics Federation of India is an affiliated unit, is also a signatory to the Code.
Officials interpreted provisions in the Code in different ways to argue on Thursday that a training facility being extended to a small group of athletes should not be considered as violation of the Code.
Awaiting decision
They further argued that this was not a training camp being organised by the SAI or the federation. Four of the athletes are awaiting the decision of the National Anti-Doping Appeal panel regarding reduction or enhancement of their suspensions. The order was reserved on Wednesday.
The athletes and the authorities are hopeful of the 4x400m relay team's qualification for the Olympics. The focus now is to get the suspended athletes back on track so that they can run a couple of relay events before the qualification deadline of July 2. The top 16 teams in the world based on the average timing of two races will qualify for the Games in the relays. At least three international teams should be in the field for the event to gain qualification status.
