Sacked athletics coach Yuri Ogorodnik on Saturday defended himself and said that he never provided the banned anabolic steroids to Indian athletes as the National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) conducted a surprise raid at the National Institute of Sports (NIS) Patiala and took samples from the campers.
Ogorodnik was terminated from his post, after eight athletes, who had trained under him tested positive for taking banned anabolic steroids within a span of a week.
The Ukrainian national said that the girls should be retested to check for any possibility of earlier dope test being wrong.
“There are two tests of A and B, sometimes A is positive and sometimes B is not positive, many times they are same too. But one should do another doping test, should check it,” he said.
Meanwhile, The 'B' samples of Mandeep, Sini, Jauna and Mary Thomas have also tested positive while the results of 'B' samples of Ashwini and Priyanka are awaited.
Hari Krishnan and Sonia are yet to test their 'B' samples.
Coach Yuri, on Friday, said 'contaminated' food supplements could be the reason behind six of his trainees failing dope tests.
The coach also blamed the Sports Authority of India (SAI) for not providing basic facilities, modern food supplements and doctors to the athletes.
"I cannot believe the girls tested positive for the same anabolic steroid. I have never given any anabolic steroid to any athlete. I am not to blame for it. The athletes have taken only food supplements and those could be contaminated," Ogorodnik told TV channels.
"I did not play any role in the doping scandal. I have been set up and this is an attempt to tarnish my reputation," he said.
"We bought supplements together. I have given them only food supplements and no other tablets. If somebody mix something with food supplements how would you know that?"
Six quarter-milers - Sini Jose, Ashwini Akkunji, Mandeep Kaur, Juana Murmu, Tiana Mary Thomas and Priyanka Pawar - who were being coached by Ogorodnik have tested positive for methandienone.
Sini, Ashwini and Mandeep were part of the 4x400 metres relay team that won the gold at last year's Commonwealth and Asian Games. The athletes had blamed the food supplements recommended by Ogorodnik for failing their dope tests.
"I write the schedule but I have never mentioned any anabolic drugs. I am a professional coach. Every month, these girls are tested and their tests have never shown positive because I have never given them any drugs. Maintain very good discipline. The girls are very sharp and well disciplined. Check food supplement first."
"I bought supplements from a chemist in Patiala. I can recognize the shops also."
Ogorodnik said the athletes had to buy food supplements from outside as supplements provided by the SAI were not up to the mark.
"They ((SAI) give us only vitamins and proteins because they don't have money. For Olympics you need modern food supplements which are very costly. Here you get only rice and spicy food which is not good for the athletes. The supplements come from China etc which are not good quality supplements. We don't have a doctor. We do not have food or good supplements. We don't have good places to train. The temperature soars to 40-45 degrees and practice starts at 6 o'clock."
"SAI protein and vitamin supplements are insufficient. So we bought those from a chemist in Patiala which might be contaminated," said the Ukrainian coach.
"You didn't have modern food supplements, we didn't even have doctors in the academy," he said.
The coach also reiterated that he fears for his life in India.
"I don't know what is happening. You all know I am a good coach. The federation shoots me first and asks later. Ask them why they do this."
"I don't know what is happening and I also want truth to come out."
Surprise raid
Separately, a four-member NADA team, headed by doctor Ankush Gupta, raided the premises of NIS and searched rooms of the campers, besides taking urine samples. The raid started around 1300hrs (Saturday).
The raid and taking of samples was not directed to track and field athletes only but to all the campers at the NIS.
"A four-member team raided NIS, searched the rooms of the campers there and took urine samples also for dope testing. Dr Ankush Gupta was the team leader and there was one lady officer of NADA also," NADA Director General Rahul Bhatnagar said.
Bhatnagar, however, said that the raid was a part of the routine drive of NADA to increase monitoring of athletes from using performance-enhancing drugs.
"It was not directed to track and field athletes. The team raided the rooms of other non track and field campers also and took samples from them. It was part of our routine drive under our increased vigilance to tackle doping," he said.
Sports Minister Ajay Maken has ordered an inquiry by former Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice Mukul Mudgal to probe into the doping scandal.
Ukrainian coach Yuri Ogrodnik, who trained the women's 400m, 400m hurdles and 4x400m relay team, was sacked while the other two Indian coaches R. S. Sidhu and Ramesh Nagapuri were suspended and served showcause notice respectively.