Doping: Sprinter Dutee Chand to file appeal after facing 4-year ban

For us, this is a clear case of unintentional consumption of a banned substance, says Dutee Chand's counsel after NADA's punishment

Double Asian Games silver medallist Dutee Chand will file an appeal after the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) banned India's fastest sprinter for four years for failing two out-of-competition dope tests for a banned substance.

The 27-year-old 100m national record holder was handed the ban after two samples taken in December last year contained "other anabolic agents/SARMS."

Here's what Dutee Chand's counsel said about the 4-year-ban

Dutee's counsel Parth Goswami told PTI on Friday that the sprinter had been a "clean athlete" all her professional career and it was a case of "unintentional consumption". 

"For us, this is a clear case of unintentional consumption of a banned substance. We were able to establish the source of the substance in the body, which is substantial proof of a lack of intent. The substance was never used to gain any sporting advantage," said Goswami.

 

"We are in process of filing an appeal. We are hopeful that we will be able to convince the appeal panel," he added.

"Dutee is the pride of India and is a clean athlete. She has had an illustrious career of over a decade. She has undergone hundreds of dope tests internationally and nationally and has always been clean in her long career," added Goswami.

What Dutee Chand and her counsel said about the Doping ban during the investigation?

Before NADA's Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel (ADDP), Dutee and her counsel claimed it was an "unintentional consumption" case.

"The athlete and her counsel had without refuting the findings of the NDTL (National Dope Testing Laboratory) report stated that the consumption of the said substance was unintentional and the ingestion of the same had been advised by the physiotherapist who the athlete was regularly consulting," said the ADDP order.

"The athlete and her counsels submitted that the said physiotherapist had been attached with the athlete from the Pullela Gopichand Academy where the athlete was training under special permission."

Dutee's counsel had submitted that the sprinter was "hyperandrogenic", owing to which she was having "severe groin pain", a reason why the treatment was recommended to her.

ADDP said that the athlete had "delegated the task of purchasing the drugs to her friend", who was also a witness in the case.

What is hyperandrogenic or Hyperandrogenism?

Hyperandrogenism is any state with excess production of “male” hormones, although these hormones are usually found in women at lower levels. The most clinically relevant hormone in hyperandrogenism is testosterone, converted peripherally to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), its biologically active form. 
 

How the witness went hostile, leading to Dutee's ban?

"(The witness), before giving his deposition, had submitted an affidavit where he stated that he went to the shop to buy the said supplement for hormonal disbalance but, on the contrary, during his cross-examination (the witness) denied buying the said supplement in person but rather re-delegating to his manager," ADDP noted.

"The admitted fact on the affidavit placed before the ADDP and the cross-examination of the witness highlights there are glaring contradictions in the fact put forth before the panel by the witnesses, thereby raising legitimate concerns regarding the reliability of the statements made by the witness," said ADDP order.