Dope tested Mandeep Kaur claims innocence

New Delhi, July 1(ANI): Shamed after failing dope test conducted by the Indian Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF), athlete Mandeep Kaur today claimed that she is innocent as for the charges of her consuming the banned anabolic steroid.

She said this while interacting with the mediapersons in New Delhi.

Six Indian athletes failed the out of competition dope test held between June 11 and 14 in Bangalore.

Kaur said she has been registered with the International Registered Testing Pool of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) as such she could never ever dream of consuming any banned substance.

"I myself never thought that I would get into this mess, because I never consumed anything like steroid. I myself do not want to usher shame for the country or my family, I have complete belief that I didn't take anything wrong. For the last seven to eight years I have been giving dope test and I have never tested positive. It is for the first that it has happened; I myself cannot comprehend any of this. I apprehend that there could have been problem with the food supplements and vitamins that we took," Kaur said.

She further said that probably the food supplements and vitamins the team players consumed could have contained the steroid they tested positive for.

To prevent such episodes, Kaur said the athletes' team should be provided with doctors to guide them regarding their diet.

"There are no doctors provided to the team. We need a personal doctor working with the team, who should tell us what vitamins to take. Why aren't we provided with a doctor? We also want doctor who advises us what to eat. We can't be doctors ourselves, so we need a good physician with the team to advise us. We have ourselves purchased the vitamins, and we doubt that problem lies in the vitamins," she added.

Earlier in the day, Indian Olympic Association acting President, Vijay Kumar Malhotra, called for immediate judicial inquiry into the matter.

Mandeep Kaur and Jauna Murmu have been placed under provisional suspension.

Other runners such as Tiana Mary Thomas, Sini Jose along with shot putter Sonia and long-jumper Hari Krishna also tested positive for anabolic steroids, a banned substance as per WADA. (ANI)