Ashwini Akkunji, team-mates get two-year suspension

New Delhi, July 18: The six Indian women athletes, who were caught for doping last year, lost their case in the Court of Arbitration for Sports in Lausanne, Switzerland, as it upheld the International Association of Athletics Federation's appeal to impose a two-year ban on them.

A National Anti-Doping Agency panel had handed a lenient one-year ban on the six quartermilers, including Asian Games double gold medallist Ashwini Akkunji, on the ground that they did not know the food supplement they had been provided by their coach contained prohibited substance. But the IAAF filed an appeal to the CAS against the NADA panel decision, stating that the athletes should not be given any lenient treatment and they should be banned for two years provided under the rules.

The CAS on Tuesday decided the case in favour of the IAAF and the athletes will serve a two year ban. “The IAAF's appeal has been upheld by CAS and the six Indian athletes have lost their case. The operative part is not known and it will come later,” an Athletics Federation of India source told PTI.

Besides Ashwini, the other five are 4x400M relay quartet members Sini Jose and Mandeep Kaur and three other quartermilers Priyanka Panwar, Jauna Murmu and Tiana Mary Thomas. The period of their one-year ban by the NADA panel ended last month.

The relay quartet of Akkunji, Mandeep, Sini and Manjeet Kaur had won the gold in the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi and the Asian Games in China a month later.

Ashwini became the toast of the country after she also won the 400M hurdles in the Asian Games also. Experts had raised doubts over her incredible performances but the athlete always denied taking banned substances knowingly.

Manjeet, the only one among the famed quartet not to fail a dope test, ended her career after she allegedly refused to give samples to NADA officials in Patiala. Manjeet was charged with doping violation by NADA but she successfully argued that she had retired from the sport. As such, she was let off by the NADA panel.

Ashwini and her team-mates had continued to train in the hope that they would be cleared in time for them to make an attempt at Olympic qualification in the 4x400M relay. In their absence, the Indians failed to clock a good enough time to get into the top-16 teams in the world who are eligible to take part in the Olympics.

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Probe will reveal if ‘outsiders’ belonging to banned-PFI involved in Mandya violence: Home Minister

News Network

September 17,2024

Kalaburagi: Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Tuesday said that alleged role of "outsiders" belonging to the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) in the violence at Nagamangala will be examined and action taken based on the probe report.

Clashes broke out between two groups during a Ganesh idol procession in the town in Mandya district following which mobs went on a rampage targeting several shops and vehicles leading to tension on September 11 night.

"Everything will be examined, investigation will be done, on getting the report we will decide. We will not protect anyone, and unnecessarily no one will be punished. We will look into the facts based on the inquiry report and take action accordingly," Parameshwara told reporters here.

He noted that two officials -- Deputy Superintendent of Police and Inspector -- have already been suspended, and added that further action will be taken based on the report.

The Minister said the government has taken the Nagamangala violence seriously and there is no question of taking such incidents lightly. "BJP makes such allegations, but we too have responsibility, we don't take anything lightly."

On allegations that "outsiders" were involved in the violence, Parameshwara said if inquiry reveals complicity of such elements, it would be examined and action taken accordingly.

Regarding claims that those belonging to the banned PFI were involved, he said: "It will be known from the probe."

On demand for a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into Nagamangala violence by BJP which alleged "failure" of state's home department, Parameshwara said: "they keep saying such things, we will not listen to all that."

According to police, an argument had broken out between two groups, when the procession by devotees from Badri Koppalu village reached a place of worship on September 11, and some miscreants hurled stones, which escalated the situation.

Following the clashes between the two groups, a few shops were vandalised and goods torched and vehicles set on fire, they added.

To allegations from some BJP leaders that the party MLA Munirathna was arrested "hurriedly", Parameshwara said, police acted after the complaint was given, "what's wrong in that?"

Munirathna, who represents Rajarajeshwari Nagar Assembly segment here, was picked up from Nangli village in Kolar’s Mulbagal on Saturday evening on charges of harassing a Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) contractor for bribe, casteist slurs on a former corporator, and also cheating, criminal intimidation and insulting a woman’s modesty.

Asked about "illegal items" seized from the prison here recently by officials, he said an investigation has begun on this.

When a photo of actor Darshan Thoogudeepa, who was lodged in Parappana Agrahara Prison here, hanging out with other inmates surfaced recently, action was taken based on the probe report and eleven officials were suspended.

"I will look into recent seizures made too and action will be taken; also probe is on at other prisons in the state and action will follow if anything wrong is found," the Minister added.

Police raided the high-security wing of Parappana Agrahara Central Prison here on Saturday and seized smartphones and other illegal goods.

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