Athletics: Six Indians banned for doping

Six Indian women athletes were handed one-year bans for doping violations.

NEW DEHLI: Six Indian women athletes, including ace 400-metre runner Ashwini Akkunji, were handed one-year bans for doping violations. All six tested positive for banned substances in either June or July and the bans will be backdated to the time of their tests, said the National Anti-Doping Agency. With the Olympics beginning on July 27, the ruling is likely to prevent any of them qualifying for the Games. The other athletes banned with Akkunji were Mandeep Kaur, Sini Jose, Tiana Mary Thomas, Jauna Murmu and Priyanka Panwar. India has never won a track medal at the Olympics and the women’s 4x400m relay team was seen as the country’s main hope of a podium finish in London.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 24^th, 2011.