Giri suspended for eight years

Shot putter P.B. Giri has been suspended for eight years for a second doping offence. He escaped life ban because of the discretionary powers given in the revised WADA Code to disciplinary authorities.

A National Anti Doping Disciplinary panel under the chairmanship of retired judge Dinesh Dayal imposed the eight year ban on Wednesday from the date of the decision. Giri, a Services athlete, had tested positive in February this year.

In both instances, Giri tested positive for steroid

stanozolol , ironically a second time during a re-instatement testing done by the Services in order to allow him back into the competition after a two-year suspension for the first offence.

His first suspension was handed out by the Services Anti Doping Authority (SADA) which did not have the authority to impose such a sanction. The Athletics Federation of India (AFI), however, informed the panel that he had undergone an earlier suspension under SADA.

Taking note

The panel took note of the 2008 suspension and also noted that the AFI had endorsed the suspension, at least by implication, by writing to confirm that Giri had undergone a two-year suspension.

Another athlete, shot putter Naresh, was suspended for two years for an anti-doping rule violation committed during the Warangal junior National in November last year. His suspension commenced from July 5. Naresh also tested positive for stanozolol .

National champion hammer thrower Sukanya Mishra sought more time for getting the laboratory reports on her ‘A' and ‘B' sample tests and it was granted.

The hearings of shot putter Jagdeep Singh, a junior, who tested positive for stanozolol , and 14-year-old girl wrestler Kavita Chowdhary, both members of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) Training Centre, Hissar, Haryana, were adjourned.