Dutee Chand to Challenge NADA Ban, Claims Unintentional Consumption

New Delhi: Indian sprinter Dutee Chand, a two-time Asian Games silver medallist, is set to contest the four-year ban imposed by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA). The ban was levied due to her failing two out-of-competition doping tests for a prohibited substance listed in WADA’s 2023 prohibited substances list.

Chand holds the national record in the 100m category. The ban, effective from January 3rd of this year, will nullify all her competitive results since the first positive sample collection on December 5, 2023.

The banned substance found in Chand’s samples, categorized as “other anabolic agents/SARMS,” is a type of non-steroidal compound often used for medical purposes such as treating osteoporosis and anemia. Her legal counsel, Parth Goswami, asserts the athlete’s unintentional consumption and aims to prove that the substance was not used for sporting advantage.

Goswami expressed confidence in their appeal process, emphasizing Chand’s clean record in a career spanning over a decade, during which she underwent numerous dope tests. He reiterated that the contested substance was traced back to its source, bolstering their argument of unintentional consumption.

Chand’s case centers on her alleged “hyperandrogenic” condition, which led to severe groin pain. Her physiotherapist, reportedly consulted with permission from the Pullela Gopichand Academy, recommended the treatment in question. Chand and her counsel claim the ingestion was advised by the physiotherapist.

The NADA’s Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel (ADDP) noted that Chand had delegated the purchase of the substance to a friend, who also serves as a witness in the case.

Dutee Chand’s appeal aims to overturn the ban, asserting her unintentional consumption and seeking to reinstate her record as a clean athlete. Her legal team remains hopeful as they work through the appeal process.