Subrata suspended for dope taint, will go for 'B' sample test

Acclaimed Indian goalkeeper Subrata Paul was on Tuesday provisionally suspended after failing a dope test but has vowed to prove himself innocent by going for the confirmatory 'B' sample test.

All India Football Federation (AIFF) General Secretary Kushal Das said Paul, an Arjuna Awardee, flunked an out-of- competition test last month. Paul is

faced with the prospect of a four-year ban.

"The banned substance is terbutaline. According to the NADA letter to AIFF, Subrata is under provisional suspension,"Das said.

Terbutaline is a bronchodilator and is taken when people have trouble breathing or a medical condition such as asthma.

It is also present in commonly-used expectorants administered for cough and cold. But, athletes must apply for a TUE (Therapeutic Use Exemptions) certificate if they want to use asthma-related drugs. According to WADA, terbutaline is placed in the category of 'beta-2 agonists', which is prohibited at all times (in competition and out-of-competition) Asked if Paul can still play for his club DSK Shivajians in their last I-League fixture at home against Minerva Punjab on April 30, Das said, "He can apply for a B sample test as well as simultaneously appeal for the lifting of this provisional suspension. "Once he appeals (for lifting of this provisional suspension), he can play but in case the NADA Panel rules against his appeal whatever match he has played after NADA's intimation to us that he has failed his

A sample test will be forfeited (his club will be declared to have lost the match)." Das said Paul's urine sample was taken by NADA on March 18 when the Indian team was in the national camp in Mumbai.

All the players were tested during that camp. Under WADA rules, the National Anti-Doping Agency will have to inform the player as well as the federation about the dope result.

The player has the right to request for a confirmatory 'B' sample test. He will be put under provisional suspension pending his 'B' sample test. Under new WADA rules, a first-time dope offender will serve a maximum period of four-years. The 30-year-old Paul said he will go for the 'B' sample test and

claimed that he will prove his innocence. "I am shocked at this news that I failed a dope test. I have not got any official communication from the NADA or the AIFF. I am getting to know about this from the media. I will prove my innocence as I have played the game with honesty and integrity in my career of more than 10 years now," Pal said. "I will request for the 'B' sample test as I believe that I have not done anything to fail a dope test.

All the players were tested during the Mumbai national camp and I never thought that my sample will return positive,"

he added. Agencies