Kerala footballer M. Viknesh, who had failed a dope test taken during the National Games in Ahmedabad in October 2022, has been handed a two-year suspension starting from April 5, 2023.
The forward, who was dropped from the Kerala team for the Santosh Trophy’s final phase in February this year following the positive dope test for terbutaline, had appealed the decision of the Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel given on April 5, 2023.
Terbutaline is an ingredient in many cough syrups, but it is in the World Anti-Doping Agency’s prohibited list under specified substances. Vignesh’s team had argued that a since the player was suffering from fever and cough, a doctor had prescribed Ascoril syrup which contained terbutaline. The footballer had said that he was unaware of this fact and that was why he had not mentioned it in the doping control form.
