In November 2022 the India National Anti-Doping Agency (INADA) has reported an anti-doping rule violation against the football player Viknesh after his sample tested positive for the prohibited substance Terbutaline.
Following notification a provisional suspension was ordered. The Athlete filed a statement in his defence and he was heard for the Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel of India (ADDPI).
The Athlete denied the intentional use of the substance and explained with evidence that he only had used the medications prescribed by his doctor. Further Investigations showed that one prescribed medication contained the substance Terbutaline.
The Panel finds that the presence of a prohibited substance has been established in the Athlete's sample and accordingly that he committed an anti-doping rule violation.
In view of the evidence the Panel determines that the Athlete's prescribed medication was probably the source of the postive test result.
The Panel deems that the Athlete's violation was not intentional and that he had demonstrated how the subsance had entered his system. Further the Panel considers that he had failed to check his medication, nor had mentioned these on the Doping Control Form.
Therefore the Panel decides on 5 April 2023 to impose a 2 year period of ineligibility on the Athlete, starting on the date of the provisional suspension, i.e. on 12 November 2022.
