NADA appeals panel sets aside shot-putter Inderjeet Singh's suspension

The National Anti-Doping appeals panel has set aside a disciplinary panel order which handed a four-year suspension to former Asian champion and 2014 Asian Games bronze medallist shot putter Inderjeet Singh. The appeal panel took note of the fact that in case of the sample collected in Bhiwani on June 22, 2016, there was a gap of several hours between the collection time and submission time, which resulted in doubts over the chain of custody as well as the integrity of the sample. The appeal panel also underlined that there was a difference in the amount of sample collected by the dope control officer in Hyderabad on June 29, 2016, and the one that was received and recorded by the laboratory, again raising doubts about the integrity of the sample. IAAF/WADA may appeal While the disciplinary panel had come to the conclusion that the athlete had not been able to prove that deviations led to the adverse analytical finding, a requirement under the 2015 and 2009 rules of the WADA Code, a stipulation that was absent in the 2003 rules, the appeal panel has seemingly come to the conclusion that the athlete has established this requirement.