Sunita Rani vows to fight till the last

Exonerated by the Sushil Salwan inquiry committee, long distance runner Sunita Rani said she feels vindicated and is preparing herself for the battle ahead to prove her innocence beyond doubt.

"I am happy to be absolved of all charges by the AAFI. It just proved that I am innocent," the athlete said on Tuesday, after the committee, set up by the Amateur Athletic Federation of India, gave her a clean chit on Monday.

But the beleaguered athlete insisted that her battle to prove her innocence has only just begun.

"I will fight tooth and nail to get my name cleared. I will fight till the last -- just the way Sri Lankan athlete Susanthika Jayasinghe did," she declared.

The star Sri Lankan athlete was banned by the international athletics body after she failed a dope test for nandrolone. Later she appealed against the ban, saying she had taken Ovral, a medication prescribed for menstrual problems, and it was revoked.

Rani said she fears the ban could pull the curtains down on her career. "I am apprehensive about the ban as it could spoil my career," said the 22-year-old Asian Games medallist, who won a gold and bronze medal in the 1500 and 5000 metres respectively but was stripped of her medals after testing positive for the banned substance, nandrolone.

The AAFI has promised all support to her and decided to take up the matter with the world athletics body.

Alleging that "certain quarters" do not want her to participate in the Athens Olympics since she has a chance of winning a medal, Rani said the "major discrepancies" in the test results of the Asian Games doping laboratory exposed the motives behind such a move.

"I set up a new Asian Games record in the 1500 metres at Busan. And I have a strong feeling that certain quarters do not want an Indian to do well in the Olympics," she said.

She said she is hopeful that the Sports Authority of India and the AAFI would be able to convince the International Amateur Athletics Federation against taking any action against her.

"Action without sufficient evidence should not be taken against me as I have been absolved by the inquiry committee. I hope for a favourable verdict from the IAAF," said the runner, who was in Delhi to depose before the Madnesh Mishra commission, appointed by the SAI, which will conduct an internal inquiry into the doping scandal.

She said the Salwan committee report relieved her of the tension she was in for the past few days and added she is looking forward to returning to the track.

"I am practicing hard and would continue to participate in national meets," she said.

Earlier, Sunita Rani who came to Delhi along with two of her brothers, deposed before Mishra, who is also the Executive Director (Finance) of the SAI.

Both Sunita Rani and Mishra declined to divulge details about the meeting. However, sources said the issues relating to Renu Kohli, her former coach who was suspended by the SAI after the Busan doping fiasco, and dope testing laboratories in India and Busan came up during the meeting.

Related stories:
AAFI clears Sunita Rani of doping charges
Fresh hope for Sunita Rani
Sunita Rani has been framed: Milkha Singh
Sikdar lashes out at Sunita Rani
OCA strips Rani of Asiad medals
Rani stripped of Asian Games medals
IOA promises 'strictest' action against Rani
Sunita Rani fails another dope test
Sunita Rani tests positive for Nandrolone
Rani denies having taken banned drug
Sunita Rani's coach denies doping report
Asian Games: The Complete Coverage