NEW DELHI: India's fastest woman athlete, Dutee Chand, who holds the national 100m record of a sensational 11.17s, which she recorded in 2021 (Indian Grand Prix 4 in Patiala), has failed an out-of-competition dope test for selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) and has been provisionally suspended by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA), it was revealed on Wednesday.
Dutee's 'A' sample (urine) was taken on December 5 in Bhubaneswar and she was informed about her adverse analytical finding (AAF) on January 3, sources told TOI. She had the option of going for her 'B' sample testing within a period of seven days from the date of receiving the AAF notice, but she didn't opt for it, resulting in the imposition of the provisional suspension by Nada.
Her case will now be heard by Nada's anti-doping disciplinary panel (ADDP). If found guilty, she could be suspended for a period of up to four years for returning dope positive for non-specified substances as per the World Anti-Doping Agency's (Wada) list. Her 'A' sample showed traces of andarine, ostarine and ligandrol, which are performance-enhancing drugs.
According to a report in the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), "All SARMs are prohibited at all times (both in and out-of-competition) for all athletes, from those competing at the highest level of sport to those competing at the recreational level. SARMs are listed in the category of "Other Anabolic Agents" under section S1.2 of the Wada prohibited list". SARMs were added to the WADA prohibited list in 2008.
When contacted, Dutee, a double silver medallist at the Jakarta Asian Games in 2018, claimed ignorance about any such AAF notice served to her and said that she never cheated as an athlete during her entire career. "I am shocked. This is news to me. I have not failed any dope test. I have come to Bhubaneswar to attend my sister's wedding. I have not received any such report from Nada. I will fight out my suspension. Everyone knows how unfairly I was treated when I fought a long battle with World Athletics after being barred from competitions in 2014 because of high levels of testosterones," she told TOI.
"I was preparing for the Asian Games in Hangzhou this year and had planned to start my season with the Federation Cup in June. I'll continue my training because I haven't done anything wrong," she added.
Athletics Federation of India president, Adille Sumariwalla, said Dutee was neither part of the national camp nor training under national coach N Ramesh in Hyderabad.
