- Ashutosh Mehta, Indian footballer was the first player in the Indian Super League.
- punished after being given a two-year ban for doping, the in-competition test.
- For morphine was performed on February 8 during an ISL game played in Goa.
Ashutosh Mehta, Indian footballer was the first player in the Indian Super League to be punished after being given a two-year ban for doping.
The ban is implemented by the NADA’s Anti-Doping Disciplinary Commission for failing a doping test.
The in-competition test for morphine was performed on February 8 during an ISL game played in Goa, and Mehta tested positive for it.
The ATKMB player consented to a revocable provisional suspension on June 24. Mehta asserted that he had no intention of utilising drugs and sought to take advantage of a sizable guarantee clause.
In his defence, he claimed that a teammate of his “allegedly administered him with opium, a source of morphine in the form of ‘Kaala Daba’ (literally translating to ‘Black Medicine’) in pretext of it being an Ayurvedic Medicine”.
“…it is held that the athlete has violated Art 2.1 and 2.2 of NADA ADR 2021. Furthermore, the panel is of the view that the anti-doping violation was unintentional…,” the panel headed by Chaitanya Mahajan said in the order.
“We accordingly hold that the athlete is liable for a period of ineligibility of two years.”
Mehta should be awarded credit for his temporary suspension, the Panel ruled.
Subrata Pual, a former goalkeeper for India, was issued a provisional suspension by the NADA in 2017 after testing positive for a prohibited substance in an out-of-competition test performed during a national camp. However, he was later released with a warning after being able to show that his doping violation was not deliberate.
Paul has previously played in the ISL, but at the time he was playing for DSK Shivajians in the I-League.
