Sport - Athletics

Dope accused allowed to compete in trials

NEW DELHI: Quarter-miler Bharatha Reddy, one of the ten university athletes to have tested positive last January, was allowed to compete in the selection trials for the World University Games on Tuesday and may even get selected if the authorities do not step in to resolve the issue.

Reddy, representing Acharya Nagarjuna University, had tested positive for steroid stanozolol in the all-India inter-University athletics championships in Bangalore.

Of the 10 who returned positive tests Reddy is the only athlete yet to appear before a panel constituted by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI). The AFI had intervened after the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) dragged its feet over the matter. The AFI took suo motu cognisance of the positive tests and issued notices to the concerned athletes through their universities.

The selection of the Indian team for the World University Games, scheduled in Bangkok from August 8, has been left to the Sports Authority of India (SAI) in collaboration with the AIU. The athletics trials were held here on Tuesday with 11 of the 16 invited athletes turning up.

Reddy, who apparently argued that the communication received from the AFI had a discrepancy, was allowed to compete and he, running alone, clocked 48.29 seconds for the 400 metres.

eddy, according to sources, figures high in the merit list and could even find a place in the eventual squad.

In what is turning into a tussle between AIU, which allowed the dope tests in Bangalore only to sleep over the positive cases, and the AFI, Reddy, if he is allowed to be part of the team and competes in Bangkok, may aggravate his case and could receive a more severe sanction.

The Andhra athlete, who is under provisional suspension, has been summoned again to appear before the AFI panel on August 7. The other athletes have already given their written submissions to the panel. None of them had sought a ‘B’ sample test.

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