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The Yavatmal-born custodian has been handed a two-year doping ban by NADA, ADDP
By Paritosh Pramanik
NAGPUR, Oct 19
A SHATTERED, out-of-favour Indian hockey goalkeeper Akash Chikte, who has been handed a two-year doping ban by National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) and Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel (ADDP) for “unknowingly” taking prohibited substance earlier this year, has decided to fight against the decision.
Chikte was provisionally suspended by NADA from March 27 and the minimum sanction of two years was imposed by the ADDP after a final hearing on October 8.
However, the Pune-based custodian has decided to fight against the duration of the ban and has also roped in a Delhi lawyer to fight his case. Chikte has 21 days to appeal against the suspension.
Chikte tested positive for banned anabolic steroid (Norandrosterone) during an out-of-competition test during the senior team’s hockey camp in Bengaluru on February 27.
“I am really shattered. I never took any prohibited substance in my life. The medicine which I took after consulting doctor had prohibited substance which I never knew,” Chikte told ‘The Hitavada’ from Pune.
Recalling those days when he was mentally tired due to his father’s ill health, Chikte said his intention was never to take any performance enhancing drugs and he will never do so in his life.
Chikte’s father Anil, a welder by profession, was suffering from a brain decease called aneurysm which could lead to vasospasm (sudden constriction of a blood vessel, reducing its diameter and flow rate) and multiple infarct. He needed immediate surgery. Chikte, hailing from Lohara village in Yavatmal, was on duty at BEG Pune when he received the news of his father’s ailment. He immediately rushed to Nagpur to get his father treated.
“During that course of time I was mentally tired and I couldn’t think of anything else than my father’s health. During that time I had injured my left foot. There was unbearable pain and I took the medicine prescribed by the doctor. I never knew it had a banned substance,” said Chikte who has won gold medal for India in 2016 Asia Cup.
Chikte said he has decided to contest the decision of two-year ban, which, he hoped, could be reduced to one year.
“I will be challenging the one-year ban. I have roped in a Delhi-based lawyer who will fight my case against NADA. Looking my clean background and my future I hope the ban would be reduced to one year,” said Chikte, the 2016 Asian Men’s Champions Trophy gold medal winner.
“This was an important year for me as I missed all the major tournaments — Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, Asian Champions Trophy and the forthcoming World Cup. I am shattered but I can’t do anything now. I am now working hard for 2020 Tokyo Olympics,” said the lanky goalkeeper.
Chikte might get a leeway as NADA’s order mentioned that his case of dope violation was “unintentional” as he had taken medicine for an injury on his left foot.
Chikte admitted that he failed to inform the NADA officials about taking the medicine. “I was shuttling between Pune, Nagpur and Yavatmal due to my father’s illness. Hence it (mentioning NADA about my medication) skipped my mind,” Chikte claimed.
While it was proved that Chikte neither sought Therapeutic Use Exemption Certificate (TUE Certificate) nor did he mention about the injection taken on the Doping Control Form, he was able to establish that he had no knowledge of the injection prescribed by the physician, whom he consulted in Pune.
Thus, he was able to avoid the maximum sanction of four years although NADA still has provision to appeal against this decision.
According to the NADA order, Chikte’s urine sample report had Adverse Analytical Findings (AAF) for 19-Norandrosterone (19 NA, metabolite of Nandrolone or its Precursor) at a concentration level greater than 15 ng/ml, Androgenic Anabolic Steroid, which is non-specified substance as per NADA/WADA prohibited list. Once Chikte’s ‘B’ sample also showed similar AAF finding, a hearing was conducted on August 13. The player appeared before the panel and he said he had consumed medicines prescribed by his doctor for treatment of his index finger on his left foot.
(with inputs from PTI)
By Paritosh Pramanik
A SPORTSPERSON’S life is full of sacrifices, turbulence, hardships and difficulties. There are inspiring stories which show the valour and determination of how medal-winning athletes are made after overcoming difficult hurdles. Same is the story of high jumper Abhay Gurav, who has passed through a lot of turbulence at the age of just 19 but got over it to start a golden journey in athletics.
Gurav, a native of Khondamali village, 15 kms from Nandurbar district, won his maiden gold medal on Tuesday at the state junior athletics championship under way
at Nagpur.
Flashing his maiden gold medal, Gurav was all smiles at the Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University’s Sports Complex. He left all his troubles behind for a while and was soaked in this moment of joy.
A leap of 2.03 metres in U-20 boys category fetched Gurav the gold that, in his own words, “is the best thing to happen in his life so far.”
Gurav has previously won gold in the school games’ athletics meet at Karad and silver at the Nashik state level meet. But this medal is more important as it has opened the gates to the Maharashtra athletics team.
At 5.5 ft in height, no one would believe that Gurav could perform this better in a sport like high jump. But the 19-year-old athlete has proved everybody wrong with his gold winning feat.
Gurav’s life is full of hardships and difficulties. He lost his mother when he was just one year old. He missed a state championship a couple of years back because his father had a bad fall and went into coma. Though he went for the state meet after admitting his father to the hospital, he could not participate because he reported at the venue 20 minutes late.
Living with his paternal aunt, Gurav had to spare time from his studies to work at a cloth shop or in cotton farms to make ends meet. Despite all these turbulences, a determined Gurav has made it a point to excel in sports and find a decent job in Army to take care of his family.
“After I lost my mother, I was sent to an orphanage in Wavdade village in Jalgaon district by my uncle. A few years later my aunt took me to her home,” said Gurav.
The difficult days did not stop there. With family’s financial condition not that sound, Gurav immediately understood the challenges of life. At a very tender age, he started working at a shop, which makes turbans in Nandurbar.
“I have to feed a family which has an ailing father, a brother and an aunt. I decided to work at the shop to earn livelihood. From Khondamali village I daily travel to Nandurbar in bus. My day starts at 5.30 am as I go to Nandurbar for practice. After practising till 10 am, I go to Yashwant Vidyalaya where I study (12th Commerce). After college I go to the shop and work for a few hours and then return home by 3.30-4 pm,” said Gurav about his daily routine.
Living at a remote place, Gurav does not have proper training facilities what athletes at metros usually get.
“I started with long jump but then shifted to high jump on my coach Mayur Thakre’s insistence. There are no facilities for high jump in my village. I used to erect makeshift bars and jump over them. There were sacks of cotton on which I used to fall as the surface was too hard. There is one mat in Nandurbar but officials do not give it to me. They say it is not possible to provide the mat and poles for only one player. Somehow I have to manage with whatever resources I have,” lamented Gurav.
As this is his Board exam year and he had to participate in the junior state meet, Gurav gave up his job at the cloth store. “It was not possible to get leave from the shop as I also had to come to Nagpur for this meet. Hence, I decided to leave the job. To make ends meet I go to sell ‘bel patta’ (Bel leaves) at Nandurbar thrice a week. In return, I get some rice, jowar etc. It’s like a barter system,” mentioned Gurav.
It’s the will power and determination to excel in high jump that brought Gurav this far. The members of Gurav tribe were also very kind to fund him.
“My Gurav tribe members
help me financially a lot. They provide us with a financial aid every month with which I somehow manage to feed my family. My tours are sponsored by Thakre sir. He looks after my needs on the field,” Gurav proudly said.
High jump is not an easy sport and needs a lot of technical training. Gurav could not get the best of training at his village. However, he has learnt the tricks of trade through YouTube.
“I watch high jump competitions on YouTube. How to run, to take a jump, how to time the jump and all technicalities…I learned watching on YouTube,” informed Gurav.
“If I get a job in Army I will be financially secured. Getting a job is my first priority. But for that, I will have to keep winning medals. Only then my performance would be noticed,” he said adding, “there is an Army recruitment in Jabalpur next month and I will start preparing for it from tomorrow.”
Gurav has timed his jump well to win his maiden gold at the junior meet. Only time will tell how high he can take his leap in life.
