The Hindu : Sport : National coach was unaware of supplements being given to lifters

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 01, 2005

Sport

Sport - Sports : General

National coach was unaware of supplements being given to lifters

By K. P. Mohan

NEW DELHI, MARCH 31. The K. P. Singh Deo Committee, which went into the doping scandal involving two Indian weightlifters at the Athens Olympic Games, had noted that the National coach, P. S. Sandhu, was unaware of the lifters being given supplements and medicines worth thousands of dollars while training abroad.

In its report, submitted to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) last September, the committee noted: "The National coach has reported that he was not aware of the supplements and medicines being given to the weightlifters costing $ 1000 to 1600 per sportsperson while training in Belarus."

The two Indian woman lifters, Pratima Kumari and Sanamacha Chanu, had tested positive for testosterone and furosemide respectively, and were subsequently expelled from the Games.

Testosterone is a steroid used to increase muscles and boost strength while furosemide is a diuretic used generally for weight reduction. Furosemide is also a masking agent.

The IOA, based on the Singh Deo Committee report, slapped life-bans on these two lifters as well as another lifter, Sunaina, for an earlier doping offence, and coach Sandhu.

The following are some of the important observations made by the committee comprising Mr. Singh Deo (Chairman) and Dr. Man Mohan Singh, in its report:

Shocked

"National coach P. S. Sandhu and foreign coach expressed shock at these incidents as they were sudden, unexpected and unfortunate.

Further, the foreign coach informed that he never advised any weightlifter to have any anabolic or any other drugs...

"Shri Sandhu replied there was no body weight problem with Sanamacha Chanu as she was below 53-kg. On the day of competition her body weight was less than 52-kg. It was verified to be 51.91-kg. But Committee note(d) from evidence that prior to competition she was allegedly 4-kg overweight only a week before. Verification of records is necessary.

"Sanamacha Chanu has admitted taken (sic) i/v drip on her own on 12th and

13th August, 2004. According to her, these drugs were given to her by the coach. Sanamacha Chanu handed over some opened vials to the commission.

These were tested in the DCC Lab and three vials were found positive for

furosemide (diuretic). The committee observed that it is physically and practically not possible without the assistance of a professionally trained person to take i/v drip and (it) otherwise could be harmful to the sportsperson. It could not be fully verified or ascertained as foreign coach was not available for cross examination.

"The commission has no way to establish that how and at what point of time this substance came into vials. It will be worthwhile to procure sealed new bottles of these medicines to have them tested.

"The Indian National coach Shri P. S. Sandhu has also failed in his duty as manager to prevent this episode as he was administrative in charge of the training of weightlifters and was unaware of injections and food supplements, medicines being given to them as they were in Russian language.

"Our team stayed in Belarus for 51 days but National coach did not contact the Indian Embassy for any help including medical or language problem...

"It is observed from the training diary of Ms Pratima Kumari, provided to the committee by her, that when the Indian women weightlifters were training in Minsk (Belarus), she took injection(s) on the following dates in July 2004: 3, 7, 13, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 and 29.

"According to coaches: 3 injections; according to her version she took 31 injections; according to training diary she took 17 injections.

"The injections/medicines which were reportedly given to the weightlifters in Belarus for back pain seems to be irrelevant as they tested negative before going to Athens, but a panel of Indian doctors after examining Pratima Kumari recommended physiotherapy for ligament. National coach and foreign coach has (sic) certified all the weightlifters fit before departure for Athens."

Tip of the iceberg

Terming the positive dope tests that the Indian lifters returned in Athens as only the "tip of the iceberg," the committee gave the following recommendations, among others:

"The weightlifters found positive and their support staff including coaches, managers, doctors and technicians who may be found violating the Anti Dope Code and regulations should be handed out deterrent punishment/sanctions as per international rules governing those offences to which IOA, National Sports Federation/Government/SAI are committed, including penal actions.

"Coaches should be selected keeping in view their track records, their commitment and practice of not using any kind of banned substances like steroids, stimulants, masking agents or other performance enhancing substances/methods on sports persons... "

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