India's six top women athletes, including Asian Games double gold-medallist Ashwini Akkunji, were, on Friday, handed one-year bans for flunking dope tests earlier this year, virtually ending their chances of participating in the London Olympics next year.
Taking note of banned athletes like Ashwini Akkunji and Sini Jose training at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) Centre at Sonepat, Sports Minister Ajay Maken on Wednesday admitted that this is a serious issue and they are probing the matter.
NADA Director General Rahul Bhatnagar said that the WADA had filed an appeal against the reduced penalty and the matter would come up before the NADA Appellate panel on February 15.
The doping scandal in Indian athletics grew in proportion with two more athletes, including the country's new golden girl Ashwini Akkunji, testing positive for anabolic steroids hours before the departure for Japan for the Asian Championships.
The Anti Doping Appeal Panel (ADAP) has upheld the one-year sanction imposed on India's top quarter-milers with a rider that paves the way for them to take part in the Olympic trials.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Monday
The former India cricketer has not attended a single hearing of Anti-Doping Appeals Panel since the new panel was formed.
India continued their stranglehold in women's 4x400m relay event in the Asian Games as its quartet ran a brilliant race to win the gold for the fourth time on the trot in Games record time in the 17th edition in Incheon on Thursday.
Indian athletes will begin their campaign in the World Championships in Beijing, on Sunday.
The world braced up to a post-Bolt era but for India there was no momentous change as the country's athletes did nothing for the global audience to take note of.
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