M. R. Poovamma's suspension restored by NADA
In a puzzling turn of events, the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) has taken the uncommon step of inverting the suspension of quarter-mile sprinter M. R. Poovamma. This decision comes after permitting her to vie a year ahead of her initially imposed two-year suspension course, creating a wave of unpredictability within the athletic arena.
The twisting in this narrative flared when NADA replied to a question from the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) on June 16, informing them that Poovamma was clearly eligible to get back to contest. Thereafter, she partook in the Sri Lanka National Championships held at Diyagama in July, where she managed to ensure a seventh-place finish in the 400m with a span of 56.20 seconds.
This unpredictable green light from NADA arose from a question initiated by Poovamma herself, directed through the AFI. She aspired for clarification on whether she could enter the Diyagama meet in the context of the Anti-Doping Appeal Panel's (ADAP) decision to expand her suspension from the originally set three months to a more severe two-year term. Poovamma's suspension had originally resulted from a positive test for the stimulant methylhexaneamine (MHA).
NADA accepts mistake in Poovamma's suspension
In an eyebrow-raising set of affairs, NADA later acknowledged to a blunder in conveying the period of Poovamma's suspension and the corresponding end date of her ineligibility span. However, NADA abstained from defining her return date to competitive athletics. Based on available data predating these developments, her reinstatement shall align with June 15, 2024.
Notably, NADA did not highlight the standard stipulations that normally accompany an athlete's earlier return to contest. Despite this being an outcome of NADA's own mistake, it is clear that her performance in the July meeting should be abolished, and her suspension period shall be adjusted, accounting for the duration from June 16 to August 10 (the dates of NADA's notifications) as part of her comprehensive ineligibility time.
With the spectre of a renewed suspension threatening, speculation stirred around the 33-year-old athlete's fate. Her name originally emerged in the entry lists for the Indian Grand Prix in Chandigarh, further fueling speculation when she was included in the start lists for the forthcoming 400m races. AFI President Adille Sumariwalla explained that some athletes, including Poovamma, were being offered an extra opportunity due to their prior exclusion from the Asian Games.
It stayed unclear whether the women's 4x400m relay team delegation would change, but President Sumariwalla urged that no new names would be taken under consideration, beyond those earlier submitted to Hangzhou and the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA). Despite earlier rejections by the Sports Ministry, space for additions and deletions appeared to continue.
In a set of increasing scrutiny, it is doubtful whether the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) had interfered in the Poovamma case. Lately, WADA issued a report highlighting different concerns regarding NADA's management of "whereabouts" restrictions and testing.