NADA panel hearing on 12 dope-tainted athletes postponed

The wait of some dope-tainted athletes hoping to take part in the Commonwealth Games got longer as their hearing before the National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) disciplinary panel scheduled today was postponed to Monday.

The cases of 12 athletes, including Arjuna awardee wrestler Rajiv Tomar, could not be heard today as head of the panel and retired additional district judge Dinesh Dayal was indisposed.

The 'B' samples of all the 12 athletes had tested positive for banned stimulant methylhexanemaine.

The panel on Wednesday lifted the provisional suspension handed to them after WADA shifted methylhexanemaine from 'non-specified' to 'specified' substance in the 2011 list of prohibited substances but reserved decision on the punishment which could range from a mere warning to a two-year ban.

Wrestlers Tomar, Sumit, Mausam Khatri and Gursharanpreet Kaur, swimmers Richa Misra and Jyotsana Pansare and shot putter Saurabh Vij were hoping that they would be let off with a warning by the panel today and that would put them in contention for the Commonwealth Games.

Wrestling Federation of India and Swimming Federation of India have named replacements for the Commonwealth Games but the dope-tainted athletes are still hoping that they have a chance to compete in the mega event if they are let off by the NADA panel.

Among them, Vij is the only one who is still in the Commonwealth Games squad though a reserve has been named by the Athletics Federation of India in case he is handed a ban in the final decision of the panel.

"We were thinking that a final decision will be given today but now it has been postponed for Monday. I want to be in the Commonwealth Games and I am keeping my fingers crossed," said Tomar who was here along with all the other 11 athletes.

A top source in the AFI said that Vij's name will be struck off from the Commonwealth Games squad if he is handed a ban of some duration.

"We are waiting for the final order of the NADA panel though we have named a reserve for Shaurabh. If he is let off with a warning he may take part in the Commonwealth Games. If not, his name will be struck off," the source said.

The other five who are not in the Commonwealth Games squad but whose hearing was to be held today are wrestlers Rahul Mann and Joginder Singh, discus thrower Akash Antil, swimmer Amar Muralidharan and weightlifter Sanamacha Chanu.