‘If Sunita’s guilty, I’ll find out who else is’

The message is clear: If she did it, she wasn’t alone, and won’t go down alone. Since her return from Busan, Suntia has been treated as an athlete in disgrace, smuggled out through the airport back door, kept away from the official parties, made to run the media gauntlet on her own. No official has come out in her defence. This inquiry, then, may be her best shot at justice.

Salwan also said he was curious to find out the role of the Ukrainian and Russian coaches in Indian athletics — their involvement and exact role has long been a matter for conjecture. ‘‘I would like to know the Russian and Ukrainian angle,’’ he said.

Despite the glare of media and publicity lights on this high-profile case, getting to the truth could be a tough task.

Salwan says one his biggest problems so far — three days into the job — has been the ignorance of officials and the appalling state of sports.

‘‘We are talking about hosting the Afro-Asian Games but, more than a decade after its inception, the Sports Authority of India’s doping laboratory is still not recognised by, or accredited to, the International Olympic Committee. It’s an appalling state of affairs, the basic infrastructure does not exist.’’

Asked if the probe was being carried out too late in the day, Salwan said that he was hopeful of cracking the case. ‘‘One should never lose hope. It (the probe) can definitely be ascertained. Let us at least give it a try.’’

It’s a doggedness that will serve him well in the days to come. He’s already burning the midnight oil — the Russian coach and the recovery doctor failed to turn up at the appointed time on Thursday.

‘‘I spoke to Bahadur Singh (chief coach) for 2 and a quarter hours today and then waited for 40 minutes for the Russian coaches. I hope to meet them late in the night because I am told that they are going back to their countries tomorrow.’’