NADA, AFI resolve jurisdictional issue over dope hearing

The issue of jurisdictional overlapping between Athletics Federation of India and National Anti-Doping Agency on the disciplinary hearing of dope tainted athletes Mandeep Kaur and Jauna Murmu was resolved with the AFI deciding to transfer the case to NADA.

After receiving a clarification from the World Anti-Doping Agency, NADA had written a letter to the AFI to transfer the case to its disciplinary panel as the duo had also tested positive in the test conducted by it.

The AFI said that it had agreed to the request and the case will be transferred to the national anti-doping body after a WADA clarification that the NADA panel will follow the rules under International Association of Athletics Federations.

"NADA had requested that that the hearing of Mandeep and Jauna be held along with the six other athletes who failed dope tests. The AFI today approved to the transfer of the case after the WADA agreed that the NADA panel will follow the anti-doping rules of the IAAF," AFI director M L Dogra told reporters here.

Eight athletes, including double Asian Games gold medallist Ashwini Akkunji, tested positive for anabolic steroids in the tests conducted by the NADA and the IAAF.

Akkunji's Commonwealth and Asian Games gold-winning relay teammate Mandeep and another quartermiler Jauna tested positive in both the NADA and IAAF tests, thereby resulting to the jurisdictional overlap.

Another member of the Commonwealth and Asian Games gold-winning relay team, Sini Jose, quartermilers Priyanka Panwar and Tiana Mary Thomas, long jumper Hari Krishnan Muralidharan and shot putter Sonia were the other athletes who tested positive for anabolic steroids.

Except for Muralidharan and Sonia, all the other six have tested their 'B' samples and returned positive for the same anabolic steroids.