New Delhi: Taking strong objection to banned athletes such as Ashwini Akkunji and Mandeep Kaur training at the SAI centre in Sonepat, IOA acting-president Vijay Kumar Malhotra on Friday made it clear that the tainted ones cannot hone their skills at the "government's expenses".
"These banned athletes cannot train at government's expenses at SAI centre," Malhotra said.
Despite the one-year suspensions, handed to them in December last year, Akkunji, Mandeep, Sini Jose - the three were part of India's Asian Games gold medal winning 4x400m relay team in Guanzhou - Jauna Murmu, Priyanka Panwar and Tiana Mary Thomas have been training at the Sports Authority of India Centre at Sonepat for some time now.
"We are going to find out how they are allowed to train at SAI Centre, Sonepat," Malhotra said.
The move to ban the athletes has virtually ruled out their chances of competing in the upcoming London Olympics although a final decision on their appeals against the Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel's verdict is awaited.
The athletes were training at SAI, Patiala after being handed provisional suspensions after they tested positive in May-June last year.
But, following the Dinesh Dayal-headed committee ruling, they shifted base to Sonepat.
Comments
0 comment