It could be curtains for Commonwealth and Asian Games gold-medallist, Ashwini Akkunji, and Priyanka Panwar as they face a possible two-year ban for doping after their 'B' samples tested positive for steroids on Monday.
The 'B' samples were tested on Thursday at the National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL) in New Delhi and the results confirmed the presence of methandionone.
The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) director, ML Dogra, confirmed the positive results, adding that they would now appear before a National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) disciplinary panel.
"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," Dogra said.
Both of them have been provisionally suspended by the AFI pending a decision by the NADA panel.
Ashwini, gold-medallist in the Asian Games 400m hurdles and 4x400 relay, was looking to qualify for the 2012 Olympics, but is now set to miss the World Championships in Daegu, South Korea, in August.
Akkunji and Priyanaka have now joined their gold medal-winning relay team-mates Mandeep Kaur and Sini Jose, whose 'B' samples have also tested positive for anabolic steroids. Jauna Murmu and Tiana Mary Thomas, Hari Krishnan Muralidharan and Sonia were the others who were caught for using anabolic steroids.
{{/usCountry}}Akkunji and Priyanaka have now joined their gold medal-winning relay team-mates Mandeep Kaur and Sini Jose, whose 'B' samples have also tested positive for anabolic steroids. Jauna Murmu and Tiana Mary Thomas, Hari Krishnan Muralidharan and Sonia were the others who were caught for using anabolic steroids.
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