Mumbai FC player's 'B' sample also returns positive

The 'B' sample of Mumbai FC midfielder Nishant Mehra has also returned positive for a prohibited substance, raising the possibility of an I-League player being banned for doping for the first time.

Mehra tested positive for tetrahydrocannabinol, a WADA in-competition prohibited substance, becoming the first footballer in the history of the I-League to fail a dope test.

Mehra's 'B' sample, which was tested on Thursday in his presence at the National Anti-Doping Agency headquarters, has tested positive for the same banned substance, NADA Director General Rahul Bhatnagar said.

"His (Mehra's) 'B' sample has also tested positive and we have sent a second notice to him. He will have to appear before the NADA Anti-Doping panel but the date will be decided later on," Bhatnagar said.

Bhatnagar said NADA has not imposed any provisional suspension on Mehra as tetrahydrocannabinol was not in the non-specified substance category in the WADA list.

"The federation (AIFF) might have done it (provisional suspension) but we have not imposed on any suspension because the substance was not in the non-specified category of the WADA list," Bhatnagar said.

"NADA panel will hear the case and decide whether to put him on provisional suspension and also on the penalty to be handed," he said.

I-League chief executive said the federation is yet to get the 'B' sample result but confirmed that the AIFF had imposed the provisional suspension from its side.

"We have imposed the provisional suspension on the player from our side. But we are yet to receive the 'B' sample result," he said.

Tetrahydrocannabinol is basically a synthetic drug found in cannabis and used in parties. It is not a performance enhancing drug.

Random dope tests in the I-League started last month in Pune and so far it has been conducted on nine out of the 14 participating teams.

Tests on the remaining five sides are expected to be done in the ongoing XIV Round and the XV Round matches.

As per Asian Football Confederation guidelines, the dope tests are being conducted by NADA at the behest of the All India Football Federation for the first time in the I-League this year.