Athletics: CAS extends ban on India’s dope cheats

CAS increased a dope-related ban on six Indian women athletes from one year to two years, the Swiss-based body said

NEW DELHI: The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has increased a dope-related ban on six Indian women athletes from one year to two years, the Swiss-based body said yesterday. CAS posted on its website that it had upheld an appeal by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) for stricter punishment after Indian authorities handed a year-long ban to the athletes. India’s National Anti-Doping Agency had suspended the athletes for a year after the girls blamed contaminated food supplements supplied by their former Ukrainian coach Yuri Ogorodnik for the positive results. But the ruling came with a provision to reduce the period of suspension already served, meaning the athletes will be eligible for competition from June next year.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 20^th, 2012.