There's no medal for India at the World Athletics Championships but the country has just got a dubious distinction. Discus-thrower Neelam Jaswant Singh became the first—and only—athlete to test positive for dope here.Neelam’s urine samples contained the prohibited substance, pemoline (S6 stimulants) at a test conducted after her event on August 7.Neelam has been provisionally suspended under the IAAF rules, pending a hearing before a tribunal of the Athletics Federation of India (AFI). As this is a first-time violation, the sanctions are for two years and she is entitled to ask for the test of her ‘B’ samples. As the embarrassing announcement came, neither Neelam nor any AFI official was present. Neelam, along with her husband and coach Jaswant Singh, had returned to India two days ago. President Suresh Kalmadi and Secretary Lalit Kumar Bhanot, the only two AFI officials who came to Helsinki, had also left. Neelam could not be reached for comments. Neelam and Jaswant had been to Ukraine for a week-long training session just before Helsinki. She was apparently struggling with an injury when she went there. Neelam had skipped most of season at home, including the New Delhi Federation Cup, after her best effort of 60.65 metres at Patiala. Her best in Helsinki was 56.70 metres. Asked about the reasons for her miserable showing, she said she had picked up an injury in Ukraine. She did not explain why she had gone there. Indian sportspersons have a strange and enduring connection with former Soviet countries—if Belarus has been the lifters’ favourite resort, Ukraine is sought after by the athletes. The Sports Ministry had raised questions on the Ukraine connection in a letter sent to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) just before the Athens Olympics. Neither the IOA nor the AFI has responded so far. The AFI has maintained that Ukraine had the best of training facilities and coaches.
