CAS rejects Gomathi's appeal against doping ban

NEW DELHI: The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has dismissed Indian middle distance runner Gomathi Manimathu's appeal against her four-year ban for doping imposed by Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) in 2019.

According to AIU, the CAS rejected Gomathi's appeal last week. Gomathi's four years ban will start from May 2019 and end May 2023, says AIU. While serving the ban the Indian runner will not be eligible to compete in any event sanctioned by the World Athletics.

All her results from March 18 to May 17, 2019, also stand cancelled. The 32-year-old runner had won gold in the Doha Asian Championships in 2019. But was later stripped of her medal. She had clocked 2 minutes 02.70 seconds, a personal best to win the title.

During the Asian meet she was amongst several Indian athletes whose urine sample was taken by AIU to check use of performance enhancing drugs. But her urine sample returned positive for anabolic steroid and she was provisionally suspended.

The Tamil Nadu runner had even failed the dope test during the 2019 Patiala Federation Cup, a qualifying event for the Doha Asian Championships. But her positive result during the Federation Cup was revealed by National Anti Doping Agency after she had already competed in the continental competition. (IANS)

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