Asian Games: NADA panel’s interim order gives Abhishek Pal reprieve

BENGALURU: Long-distance runner Abhishek Pal’s hopes of competing at the Asian Games received a big boost after the Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel of National Anti-Doping Agency clarified that there is no suspension that prevents the athlete from competing. Pal won the 10,000m gold and 5,000m silver at the inter-state meet in June but Athletics Federation of India (AFI) dropped him from the Asiad squad, citing adverse analytical findings in a National AntiDoping Agency (NADA) report.Hearing Pal’s appeal, the panel refused to quash the Notice of Charge but ordered a final hearing within four weeks. “No provisional suspension has been imposed on the athlete. The status quo as of today shall be maintained until the final disposal of this case,” the panel said in its interim order on Tuesday. The panel noted that “the athlete is not suspended and may continue to participate in competitions, subject to the final outcome of these proceedings.”In its observations and findings, the panel stated that “the athlete’s follow-up doping control tests conducted on June 7, June 21 and June 24 have all returned negative . The athlete’s previous test on May 6 was also negative. The athlete has been tested about 20 times and all results are negative. These are relevant circumstances to be considered at the final hearing.”NADA argued that it does not want to send a dope-tainted athlete to the Games. The sample collected on May 10, during the Indian Athletics Series 2 in Chennai, returned an Atypical Finding (ATF) for clomifene. The estimated concentration was reported as 0.032 ng/mL, which is below the Minimum Reporting Level (MRL) of 2.0 ng/mL specified by World AntiDoping Agency (WADA). NDTL suggested an investigation to explain the ATF. Following an investigation, NADA issued a decision on Aug 14, classifying the ATF as an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF). A notice proposing a two-year period of ineligibility was issued on Sept 2. “I’m hopeful of competing at the Asiad,” Pal, who was represented by Parth Goswami and Niharika Tiwari, told TOI.Meanwhile, AFI sources said, “Based on the NADA panel’s interim directions, AFI will again discuss Pal’s case. No one else (other than Gulveer Singh) has qualified in the men’s 5,000m and 10,000m,” they added. Pal clocked 13:33.95s in Belgium in May to meet the AFI’s qualification mark of 13:39.18s in the men’s 5000m.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.