Sunita Rani is free to compete: Kalmadi

Amateur Athletic Federation of India president Suresh Kalmadi says drug-tainted middle distance runner Sunita Rani is free to compete as she is not banned.

"If she wants to compete she can compete. At the moment she is not banned," Kalmadi told reporters in Delhi on Wednesday, when asked whether Rani could compete in next month's National Games.

He said the AAFI has asked the Sports Authority of India to test Rani's 'B' sample, which was taken on September 30, at an IOC accredited lab, as recommended by the one-man Salwan Commission.

"I just returned yesterday from Monte Carlo. I don't know whether they have sent the sample for testing or not," Kalmadi said.

He said the AAFI delegation, which had gone to Monte Carlo to represent Rani's case, protested against the results of the Seoul dope testing laboratory.

Rani was stripped of her gold and bronze medals at the Busan Asian Games after she tested positive for the banned substance nandrolone. A one-man commission, set up by the AAFI to look into the case, gave her a clean chit earlier this month and absolved her of any wrongdoing.

"We met the International Association of Athletic Federation's general secretary, Istavan Gyulai, vice-president Arne Ljungqvist (who is also the chairman of the IAAF Anti Doping Commission) and Dr Gabriel Dolle, IAAF Anti Doping Officer and registered our protest," Kalmadi said.

He added that they were given a patient hearing when told about the discrepancies in the laboratory report.

"The matter would be taken up during the next hearing of the Anti Doping Commission," he said, adding it is a long procedure.

Stating that the AAFI pointed out several violations of procedures on legal and technical grounds, Kalmadi said he is hoping for a positive response from the world body.

Pointing out more discrepancies, other than the huge difference in the A and B samples taken after the 1500 metres run, Kalmadi said Rani was only orally informed about her testing positive in Busan.

"Also she was not given the required time to respond."

He said the results of both the samples carried the signature of the same analyst, which is not the correct procedure.

"Further the dope testing laboratory was not isolated as is the practice and everybody had free access to it," he said.

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