New Delhi, Feb 15:
Aryaan Bhatia became the first Indian tennis player to fail a dope test and has been put under provisional suspension, the National Anti-Doping Agency said today.
The 16-year-old Bhatia’s urine sample was taken during the Fenesta Open National Tennis Championship held here in October last year. The NADA had collected samples for the first time from tennis players during the championship.
All India Tennis Association Secretary Hironmoy Chatterjee claimed it was a case of ignorance and the banned substance entered into Aryaan’s system from a medicine prescribed by a doctor.
“It’s a case of ignorance, a mistake has been made. The player had cold and he took a medicine as prescribed by a doctor. He was not aware that the medicine carried banned substance. He has already appealed and it will be heard soon,” Chatterjee said.
“We will also put it strongly before NADA that he be excused since he is a junior player and mistake happened due to lack of awareness,” he added.
The national anti-doping watchdog also provisionally suspended seven other sportspersons last month for flunking dope tests. They are Sandeep Kaur (powerlifting), Ankit Gosai (handball), Jithu Thomas (volleyball), Yaiphaba (canoeing), Vishan Singh (kayaking and canoeing) and Shivam Kasana (cycling).
Middle distance runner Monika Chaudhary, who had moved Delhi High Court to secure a trial ahead of last year’s Asian Games and later tested positive for Erythropoietin (EPO), has been handed a four-year ban by the Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel (ADDP). (PTI)
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