No relay team for India in London Olympics

India will be without a relay team in the London Olympics as it failed to make the cut in the IAAF list released today.

The qualification period for the men’s and women’s 4x100m and 4x400m Relays at the London Games ended yesterday.

With three members of the Commonwealth and Asian Games gold—winning women’s 4x400m relay quartet —— Ashwini Akkunji, Sini Jose and Mandeep Kaur —— caught for doping and the fourth, Manjeet Kaur ruled to have retired by a NADA panel, India failed to be among the top 16 countries which qualified for the London Games.

India had hopes to qualify in relay events in London Olympics only in women’s 4X400m.

The aggregate of the two fastest times achieved by national teams in the qualification period of January 1, 2011 to July 2, 2012 was taken into consideration for the Olympic qualification.

Ashwini, Sini and Mandeep were banned by a NADA panel for one year for doping and their ban period ended before the Olympics. But, the IAAF appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sports in Switzerland and reimposed the ban on them while the case is pending.

Indian women’s 4X400m relay quartet had made it to 2008 Beijing Olympics as 15th best team in the qualification period.