WADA wants two-year ban on Ashwini & Co

February 8, 2012
aswini

New Delhi, February 8: Not satisfied with the one-year ban handed out to top four Indian quartermilers, including Asian Games double gold medallist Ashwini Akkunji, in the doping scandal, the World Anti-Doping Agency has appealed against the decision and pleaded for a two-year sanction on the athletes.

Akkunji, her Commonwealth and Asian Games 4X400m relay gold-winning quartet member Sini Jose, Priyanka Panwar and Tiana Mary Thomas were banned for one year, along with three other athletes, in December last by a National Anti-Doping Agency panel, virtually ending their London Olympics dreams.

They had been handed a reduced punishment of one-year ban on the ground that "the athletes were not found guilty of intentionally taking the banned substances".

The four athletes had since appealed against the one-year ban, praying before a NADA Appellate panel headed by CK Mahajan that they be absolved of all punishment as they had consumed the banned substances on the orders of their coach.

The NADA Appellate panel had reserved its decision on the matter but with the WADA also appealing against the reduced ban of one year, the panel is expected to reopen the case. The next hearing has been scheduled for February 15.

NADA director general Rahul Bhatnagar said that the WADA had filed an appeal against the reduced penalty and the matter would come up before the NADA Appellate panel on February 15.

"WADA has filed an appeal, seeking a harsher punishment of two years under the Rules. According to WADA's contention the athletes should not have been handed lighter punishment on the ground that they don't know they were taking banned substances," Bhatnagar said.

"What WADA says is that under the rules the athletes will have to bear the responsibility whether he or she had taken the banned substances intentionally or unintentionally. The fact that banned substances were present in their urine sample should be enough to attract maximum 2-year ban for first time offender. This is what the WADA appeal meant," he said.

International Association of Athletics Federation is also expected to file appeal against the one-year bans handed out to Mandeep Kaur and Juana Murmu.


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News Network
January 18,2025

Sullia, Jan 18: In a shocking incident, a man shot his wife dead during a fit of rage over a minor argument and later took his own life by consuming poison. The heartbreaking event unfolded late Friday night in Kodimajalu in Sullia taluk of Dakshina Kannada.

The accused, identified as Ramachandra Gowda alias Chandra (53), used his licensed firearm to commit the crime. His wife, Vinoda (43), tragically lost her life in the incident.

On the fateful night, Ramachandra reportedly started an argument with his family after dinner over a trivial matter. The heated exchange escalated, and in a fit of uncontrollable anger, he allegedly aimed his firearm at his elder son, Prashanth. Vinoda intervened to prevent the attack, attempting to wrest the gun from Ramachandra.

However, enraged by her intervention, Ramachandra turned the gun on Vinoda and shot her, leaving her dead on the spot. Overwhelmed by the gravity of his actions, he consumed acid, commonly used for rubber processing, to end his own life.

Based on Prashanth’s statement, a case has been registered at the Sullia police station. The tragic sequence of events has left the village in shock and mourning, raising concerns about the unchecked escalation of domestic disputes.

This devastating incident underscores the importance of addressing domestic tensions before they spiral into irreversible tragedies.

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News Network
January 10,2025

baraka.jpg

Barakah International School and College is organizing a unique parenting workshop aimed at equipping parents with essential skills in various aspects of parenting. The event will take place at Barakah Auditorium, Ayar, on Thursday, January 16, 2025, at 6:30 PM.

This session will cover three crucial aspects of parenting:

Motivating Your Child to Excel in Academics: Presented by Sharfuddin B.S., Principal of Barakah International School and College and an internationally acclaimed motivational speaker.

Parenting in the Modern Age: Delivered by Mr. Saif Sultan, a renowned motivational speaker and Chairman of the Hope Foundation.

Parenting Skills to Instill Islamic Values: Led by Mohammad Haneef, Principal of the Islamic Department at Barakah International School and a well-known Khateeb.

The workshop will conclude with a Q&A session, providing participants the opportunity to gain deeper insights from the experts.

The program is free of cost and open to both parents, subject to prior registration. Maghrib and Isha prayer arrangements will be available, and refreshments will be served at the end.

Interested participants are encouraged to register at the earliest to secure their slots via the following Google Form:

https://forms.gle/mKxsr4A1UGrpo7DJ9

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News Network
January 8,2025

Mangaluru: Air India Express (AIE) has postponed its much-anticipated direct flight service between Mangaluru International Airport (MIA) and Singapore, citing low bookings. Passengers who had booked tickets for the inaugural flight scheduled for January 21 and subsequent dates have been notified of the cancellation through email.

In its email, AIE assured passengers of alternative travel arrangements, including connecting flight options between MIA and Singapore. However, the decision to delay the direct service has left travelers and travel agents disappointed.

An AIE official attributed the postponement to operational challenges but clarified that the airline has not abandoned plans for the route. “We are committed to starting the service, but there is no immediate confirmation on the new launch date,” the official stated. He further explained that sustaining a route requires consistent demand, and seasonal travel alone is insufficient to justify operations.

Another AIE representative admitted that the number of bookings for the inaugural flight was below expectations but declined to disclose specific figures.

Rajesh H Acharya, director of HQ Connections Pte Ltd in Singapore and coordinator of the Singapore Tuluver community, expressed his disappointment. Acharya, who has been advocating for a direct flight between Mangaluru and Singapore since 2017, said, “After years of effort, we finally convinced the airline to start this service, but it has now been deferred.”

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Acharya posted: "Did not expect such behavior from @AirIndiaX, now owned by @TataCompanies & @SIAirlines. If there are issues, travelers deserve to be informed well in advance. This decision needs investigation at the highest level."

The delay has raised questions among the travel community, with many hoping the airline will address these concerns and provide a clear timeline for the launch of the Mangaluru-Singapore direct flight.

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