Mumbai midfielder suspended over dope test
Reuters - Thursday 10 February 2011, 13:43
MUMBAI, Feb 10 (Reuters) India's national football league
provisionally suspended Mumbai FC midfielder Nishant Mehra on
Thursday after a positive test for tetrahydrocannabinol, the
active substance in cannabis.
Mehra's case was the first doping incident reported in the
I-League, India's national football league, since in-competition
checks began in January.
"The footballer appeared today with his manager and was
taken to the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) where his 'B'
sample was opened for testing," Sunando Dhar, the chief
executive officer of the I-League, told Reuters.
"We have provisionally suspended him till the results
arrive."
Mehra's 'A' sample tested positive after a test in Pune.
A NADA official said the result of the 'B' sample should
arrive by Saturday.
"If it turns out to be positive, the case will be referred
to our panel. The regulations are for a two-year ban but the
panel will have the final say," the official said.