Indian athletics’ latest sensation Gomathi Marimuthu, who won the historic 800m gold at the Doha Asian Championships last month, could see her medal snatched away if indeed she is proven to have used performance enhancing drugs.
The WADA (World Anti Doping Association) announced on Tuesday that the 30-year-old had tested positive for 19-norandrosterone, a metabolite of nandrolone (an anabolic steroid).
She has now been provisionally suspended pending the result of her ‘B’ sample. If that test also comes out positive, Gomathi faces a maximum ban of four years -- as this will be her first doping offence -- while also being stripped of her Asian Championships gold.
Not First Failed Test
While, if proven guilty, this would be Gowmathi’s first doping offence, it is learnt that the runner had earlier tested positive for a banned substance in the sample the NADA (National Anti-Doping Agency) collected in Patiala during the March 15-18 Federation Cup. However, her result was not sent to the Athletics Federation of India in time.
"We have learnt that Gomathi also tested positive in the sample taken during the Federation Cup which was held in mid March. But that report is yet to reach us even now, after more than two months. That report is on the way, we have told. If the report was handed to us on time, she would have been stopped from taking part in the Asian Championships and the country would have been saved from this humiliation," an AFI official told PTI.
Gomathi has been on the national circuit for some time but her timing has been mediocre. Not a national camper, Gomathi's 2:03.21 performance that gave her a gold in the Federation Cup in March raised questions over her sudden improvement.
"She was not in the national camp and that is why we have been emphasising on the requirement that athletes who have to take part in the international events should be from the national camp," the AFI official added.
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