Ashwini's London dreams nearly over

Dope tainted athlete Ashwini Akkunji's London Olympics dreams are virtually over as her 'B' sample also tested positive for anabolic steroids.

Another quartermiler Priyanka Panwar's 'B' sample also tested positive for anabolic steroids.

Ashwini and Priyanka had their 'B' samples tested on Thursday at the National Dope Testing Laboratory and the results, which came on Monday, confirmed the presence of methandionone in them.

"We have received papers from the NADA that both Ashwini and Priyanka's 'B' samples have tested positive for the same anabolic steroids found in their 'A' sample," Athletics Federation of India Director M L Dogra said.

Ashwini and Priyanka, who were caught for doping just hours before they were to leave the country for the July 7-10 Asian Athletics Championships in Japan, will now be heard by a NADA Disciplinary Panel.

Both have been provisionally suspended by the AFI pending the decision by the NADA panel.

The maximum punishment if found guilty is a two-year ban as both committed their first dope offence.

This would make Ashwini, double gold medallist in the Asian Games - in 400m hurdles and 4x400m relay - virtually out of contention for a 2012 Olympics berth. She is yet to qualify for the London Olympics.

She will also miss the August 27-September 4 World Championships in Daegue, South Korea, though she has qualified for the event in 400m hurdles.

Ashwini's gold-winning relay team-mates Mandeep Kaur and Sini Jose had also tested positive for anabolic steroids in one of the worst doping scandals in Indian sports.

Quartermilers, Jauna Murmu and Tiana Mary Thomas, long jumper Hari Krishnan Muralidharan and Sonia were the others who were caught for using anabolic steroids.