Kolkata, July 31 (IANS) Athletics coach Kuntal Roy, who will be conferred the Dronacharya Award, says eight internationally acclaimed Indian athletes failing dope Test is unusual and there is more to it than what meets the eye.
‘What happened is not normal. How is it possible that at the same time so many athletes failed doping charges? I think it is fishy. It is indeed a crisis. How can an athlete who is matured and has international experience fail the dope test just before Asian championship? It doesn’t look normal,’ said Roy.
A Sports Authority of India (SAI) coach, Roy has prepared athletes of international fame like Soma Biswas, Sushmita Singh Roy and Saraswati Saha.
At the Delhi Commonwealth Games last year, the women’s 4×400 metres relay team of Manjeet Kaur, Mandeep Kaur, Sini Jose and Ashwini Akkunji won the yellow metal and were dubbed as India’s golden girls. They went on to win gold at the Asian Games.
Three of the golden girls – Mandeep, Sini and Ashwini – along with five other athletes were provisionally suspended for failing dope tests recently. Six of the eight athletes tested positive for methandienone.
The athletes claimed their food supplements were contaminated.
‘But I think the country can overcome this crisis. Already some athletes have qualified for the Olympics. It is really good. But we need to train and educate the young athletes so that they don’t fall in false traps,’ said Roy while addressing a programme organised by the Calcutta Sports Journalist Club.
