AFI report clears way for Maheswary
Triple jumper Renjith Maheswary’s wait for his Arjuna Award is expected to end soon. The decks were cleared on Monday after the Athletics Federation of India submitted a detailed report to the sports ministry here on Monday night, giving the Kerala athlete a “clean chit”.
Maheswary’s award was put on hold under dramatic circumstances on the day of the ceremony, following reports of a positive dope test in 2008.
Said sports secretary P.K. Deb, “The AFI has sent us the report and in that, they have said there is no past record of action taken against Maheswary for doping.”
The ministry, on its part, is also learnt to have “researched” on the matter.
Said a source, “There was a dope test carried out in September 2008 and it did come out positive. It has also been confirmed that it was inadvertent use of efidrene, a decongestant drug...
“Maheswary took the drug after the doctor gave him a prescription. The matter went before an AFI disciplinary committee and the ministry wants to know the decision of that committee.
“It, however, is clear that between 2008 and 2013, there is in no mention of Maheswary in any report of the AFI. His name does not feature in the list of dope offenders. There are other names but he has never been found guilty.”
Maheswary, who failed a dope test during the National Open athletics meet in Kochi in 2008, was suspended for three months but since his punishment did not lead to a ban then, the athlete is confident of getting his name cleared.
The fact that tests were conducted by the National Dope Test Laboratory — the National Anti-Doping Agency was set up in 2009 — have made the matter difficult, since the NDTL at that stage wasn’t accredited by the World Anti-Doping Agency.
Maheswary maintained that he was innocent.
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