NEW DELHI: Indian weightlifter Sanjita Chanu once again finds herself embroiled in a drug controversy and as the two-time Commonwealth Games champion claims her innocence, she faces the dilemma of whether to appeal and relive the similar trauma she faced there. years old.
Sanjita has been provisionally suspended by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) after testing positive for an anabolic steroid – the metabolite of Drostanolone – which is on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) prohibited list, during the ‘in- test competition at the National Games in September-October last year.
The 2011 Asian Championship bronze medalist was banned by the International Bodybuilding (IWF) in 2018 after testing positive for the anabolic steroid testosterone performed by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) prior to the World Championships in America in November 2017.
In 2020, the world body had however dropped the doping charge against Chanu due to “non-compliance” in the handling of his sample.
“I have been in this situation before. But I am unable to understand how it happened. Since this incident I have been very careful with my diet and everything. I check my supplements carefully and ask if they are drug free for free,” Sanjita told PTI from Guwahati.
“I don’t know how this substance got into my urine. I don’t know if someone put it on purpose or what happened, I can’t understand. I checked the supplements I have consumed, and it is not in there”, she added.
Sanjita, who was informed of the result a month ago, was absolutely convinced that the result was a false positive and requested that her “B” sample be tested, which also tested positive.
“I mailed NADA saying I can’t believe it and asked to check the B sample. I went to Delhi and stayed there all day to get the sample checked B in front of me, but he also tested positive. I’m not able to understand how it happened.”
The two years between 2018 and 2020 had been difficult for Sanjita, who had been pushed to the brink of quitting the sport.
“The last time this happened I lost so much, my reputation, the chance to compete in the Olympics, Asian Games etc. So I was very careful as I was aiming for Paris and the Asian Games. J got a good result in National Games and now again this doping incident happened.”
“I thought about filing a complaint that someone mixed something in my food but I don’t know who would do such a thing. I trained in Manipur and then for 10 days in a camp in Mumbai before leaving”, she added.
Sanjita will now have to appear before the National Anti-Doping Agency’s NADA anti-doping disciplinary panel to prove her innocence and if found guilty, she can get a four-year suspension for the offense. She will also be stripped of her silver medal at the National Games.
“I’ve been through this before, why am I going to dope again and go through this again? I don’t know if I want to appeal or not. Either way I will lose. If I appeal it will take time to erase my name and I will lose the chance to qualify for the Olympic Games and the Asian Games, otherwise I will be suspended.
“I already lost all my savings before I cleared my name. The B sample also tested positive, so how am I going to prove my innocence,” Sanjita said in tears.
The 29-year-old woman from Manipur wrote to NADA, asking for a “faster and easier” way to prove her innocence.
“With due respect to the integrity of NDTL & NADA, I still wish to declare myself innocent and have not consumed any prohibited substances,” she wrote in her letter to NADA, a copy of which is in the possession of PTI.
“Bearing in mind my previous experience in resolving controversial doping cases, I would like to find a quick and easy way to prove my innocence and resolve my case.”
Sanjita has been provisionally suspended by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) after testing positive for an anabolic steroid – the metabolite of Drostanolone – which is on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) prohibited list, during the ‘in- test competition at the National Games in September-October last year.
The 2011 Asian Championship bronze medalist was banned by the International Bodybuilding (IWF) in 2018 after testing positive for the anabolic steroid testosterone performed by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) prior to the World Championships in America in November 2017.
In 2020, the world body had however dropped the doping charge against Chanu due to “non-compliance” in the handling of his sample.
“I have been in this situation before. But I am unable to understand how it happened. Since this incident I have been very careful with my diet and everything. I check my supplements carefully and ask if they are drug free for free,” Sanjita told PTI from Guwahati.
“I don’t know how this substance got into my urine. I don’t know if someone put it on purpose or what happened, I can’t understand. I checked the supplements I have consumed, and it is not in there”, she added.
Sanjita, who was informed of the result a month ago, was absolutely convinced that the result was a false positive and requested that her “B” sample be tested, which also tested positive.
“I mailed NADA saying I can’t believe it and asked to check the B sample. I went to Delhi and stayed there all day to get the sample checked B in front of me, but he also tested positive. I’m not able to understand how it happened.”
The two years between 2018 and 2020 had been difficult for Sanjita, who had been pushed to the brink of quitting the sport.
“The last time this happened I lost so much, my reputation, the chance to compete in the Olympics, Asian Games etc. So I was very careful as I was aiming for Paris and the Asian Games. J got a good result in National Games and now again this doping incident happened.”
“I thought about filing a complaint that someone mixed something in my food but I don’t know who would do such a thing. I trained in Manipur and then for 10 days in a camp in Mumbai before leaving”, she added.
Sanjita will now have to appear before the National Anti-Doping Agency’s NADA anti-doping disciplinary panel to prove her innocence and if found guilty, she can get a four-year suspension for the offense. She will also be stripped of her silver medal at the National Games.
“I’ve been through this before, why am I going to dope again and go through this again? I don’t know if I want to appeal or not. Either way I will lose. If I appeal it will take time to erase my name and I will lose the chance to qualify for the Olympic Games and the Asian Games, otherwise I will be suspended.
“I already lost all my savings before I cleared my name. The B sample also tested positive, so how am I going to prove my innocence,” Sanjita said in tears.
The 29-year-old woman from Manipur wrote to NADA, asking for a “faster and easier” way to prove her innocence.
“With due respect to the integrity of NDTL & NADA, I still wish to declare myself innocent and have not consumed any prohibited substances,” she wrote in her letter to NADA, a copy of which is in the possession of PTI.
“Bearing in mind my previous experience in resolving controversial doping cases, I would like to find a quick and easy way to prove my innocence and resolve my case.”
