Glasgow: Even as confusion prevailed over how para-athlete Sachin Choudhary came as a part of the Indian Commonwealth Games contingent without dope clearance, the Paralympic Committee of India was contemplating a life ban on the powerlifter.
Choudhary checked in at the Athletes Village as part of the Indian contingent but made a hasty return home on the pretext of deteriorating health of his ailing father.
However, it is now confirmed that he failed a dope test conducted last month by the National Anti-Doping Agency and the PCI said it was mulling to even hand him a life ban.
"Sachin's dope sample taken by the NADA on June 23 was found to be positive for a banned substance and now he will give his B sample. We will take a decision after the result of B sample comes. We don't tolerate doping by our athletes," PCI Secretary J Chandrasekhar told PTI.
"Surely, we will punish him and we are even thinking of slapping a life ban on him," said Chandrasekhar, though it is not known whether an athlete can be handed a straight life ban on his first dope offence.
Chandrasekhar said that Choudhary's return to home was in a way good luck for India as his presence at the Athletes Village would have been a shame and disaster for the country as the Glasgow 2014 dope team took urine sample from all the para-athletes yesterday.
"In a way it was good luck that he returned home and we are heaving a sigh of relief. Because, I have been told by the team management in Glasgow that samples of all the para-athletes were taken by the dope testing team.
"Suppose Sachin was there and he was caught, then that would have been a disaster and shame for India. The country's image is above everything," he said.
"Sachin said he was taking some injection for treatment of his elbow and that might have led to the banned substance going into his body. But I have enquired from some doctors and they said it may not be the case. In any case, we are taking strong action so that these things do not happen in future.
"Before leaving for Glasgow, all the para-athletes had signed an agreement in front of our president that discipline will be maintained during the Games and incidents like doping will not be tolerated. So we are thinking of handing out deterrent punishment," he said, adding that the banned substance was not a steroid.
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