Asiad medallist Poovamma returns after doping ban, shares her distress

The comeback of Asian Games medallist quarter-miler MR Poovamma after a doping ban has become a saga of twists and turns with the NADA’s anti-doping appeal panel (ADAP) finally deciding the date of return in her favour, following the intervention of Kerala High Court.
The 33-year-old Poovamma, a multiple medallist in the individual 400m and 4x400m relay race in the 2014 and 2018 Asian Games, ran for Karnataka in the National Games on Wednesday to mark her return. In an unprecedented move, an ADAP of the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) reviewed its earlier decision, after an order from Kerala High Court, and ruled that the 2-year ban imposed on Poovamma in June 2022 should commence from the date of sample collection — February 18, 2021.
The decision came after Poovamma petitioned the high court, seeking clarity about the commencement of her ineligibility period — whether it should be June 16, 2022 (the date of ADAP decision) or the date of sample collection — February 18, 2021. In an apparent mistake, the ADAP order of June 16, 2022 did not mention the date of commencement of her 2-year ban period. Poovamma was born in Karnataka but is married to former international level 400m runner Jithin Paul from Kerala. That is why she petitioned the Kerala High Court. The National Games in fact marked her return to action for the second time. On July 28, Poovamma competed at the Sri Lankan National Championships after the NADA informed the Athletics Federation of India that her two-year ban period had ended. But NADA later wrote to Poovamma that it was because of an error that it had informed the AFI about the period of suspension and the end of ineligibility period would run till June next year two years after ADAP decision dated June 16, 2022. She was issued notice by the NADA twice after which she knocked the doors of the high court. The ordeal Poovamma endured while trying to find out her date of return left her “mentally distressed”, apart from the loss of time. “Finally, I can return to action now. The ordeal is over, though it left me mentally distressed,” Poovamma said. In between, Poovamma had even approached the Switzerland-based Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS).
Paul said they were told to deposit Rs 6 lakh within a short time for a hearing at the CAS to start. “We were told to deposit Rs 6 lakh within three days to start hearing at the CAS. We could not arrange that big sum in that short period,” Paul said. The crux of the problem was that the anti-doping disciplinary panel as well as the anti-doping appeal panel of the NADA did not mention the date of commencement of Poovamma’s ban period.