BHUBANESWAR/KOLKATA: “My life is full of challenges. Let’s see what happens,” Dutee Chand told TOI when contacted regarding her testing positive for a banned substance.
However, this can be a very tough challenge for the Asian Games medallist and one of India’s top sprinters. The two-time Olympian was provisionally suspended on Tuesday for failing a out-of-competition dope test by National Anti Doping Agency (NADA), conducted on December 5 last year in Bhubaneswar.
Dutee’s ‘A’ sample tested positive for Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARMs) that are part of therapeutic compounds with similar anabolic properties to anabolic steroids, but with reduced androgenic, or male hormone producing, properties.
Dutee, however, said on Wednesday that she was unaware of any such notification from the nodal anti-doping agency. “I am travelling right now. After returning home, I will check it out and speak in detail about the issue,” she said.
The letter, in possession with TOI, however, said the prohibitive substances found in her samples are SARS S4 Andarine, O Dephenylandarine, SARMS (ENBOSARM) (OSTARINE) and LIGANDROL Metabolite.
According to World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) list of prohibited substances, these banned substances have the potential to be misused for performance enhancement in sport due to their anabolic properties, as well as their ability to stimulate androgen receptors in muscle and bone, leading to bone and muscle growth.
The sprinter said she sometimes faces hormonal imbalance in her body. “Similar situation happened in 2014 where I was accused of being a ‘male’ for failing the hyperandrogenism test. Later a gender verification test was conducted on me. I fought against the World Athletics’ policy in the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) in 2015 and returned to sports,” said the 2018 Asian Games silver medallist in 100m and 200m.
“In 2021, I took some medicines for my groin pain in Patiala. As there was no competition, I had taken some medicines for my pain. I don’t know whether it was the reason behind the fresh test result or other natural hormonal imbalance.”
While the ace athlete said she got to know of the suspension from social media and media persons, the next step for her would be to appeal for testing of her ‘B’ sample — which is conducted in presence of the athlete or her representative — within seven days of receiving the NADA notice.
If the ‘B’ sample, too, tests positive, the maximum ban for the offence is a four-year suspension. However, if she admits to the offence — like discus throwers Kamalpreet Kaur and Navjeet Kaur did in 2022 — the ban can be reduced by a year.
