Ashwini Akkunje blames food supplements recommended by coach

Ashwini Akkunje blames food supplements recommended by coach

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, July 7, 2011 : While claiming that she is innocent, Ashwini Akkunje blames food supplements provided by Yuri Ogorodnik, their athletic coach. She says that she is unaware what the food supplements contained and that she never consumed any drugs to enhance her performance.

Further explaining the matter, she said that the athletes consumed supplements provided by coach Ogorodnik since the food supplements in the National Institute of Sports in Patiala was exhausted. She said that they had been consuming food supplements since May 10 and that one of these supplements was in the form of a tablet, supplied by the coach himself. The athletes also purchased three other food supplements upon the recommendations of the Indian coaches at the training camp, she said, adding that this is the first time they had to purchase food supplements on their own.

Besides gold medal winner Ashwini Akkunje, other mid-distance runners such as Jauna Murmu, Mandeep Kaur, Sini Jose, Priyanka Panwar, Tiana Marie Thomas, and others have also failed the dope test. All these athletes have been suspended till the investigation is complete. The coach has already been dismissed. Indian coaches Ramesh Nagpuri and R. S. Sindhu, who trained athletes participating in the women’s 400-m race, 400-m hurdles, and 4x400-m relay team, including 3 officials of the Sports Authority of India, and two women of Elite Sports Ladies Hostel were also dismissed on Wednesday in connection with the controversy.

Stating that she and the other athletes were happy about the supplements provided to them before the Asian and the Commonwealth Games, she said that this is the first time they had to purchase food supplements and that they did so upon recommendation of their coach. She said that their innocence can be proved only when the issue is thoroughly investigated and tests are conducted on these foods. She said that they had no experts to guide them on the matter and added that they did not know what the food supplements contained.

Reportedly, coach Ogorodnik was not in touch with the group of athletes a few months after the completion of the Asian Games because of delay in renewal of his contract and that the first thing he did after reporting at the camp was to express dissatisfaction at the way the athletes performed. He was also furious with Mandeep Kaur, Sini Jose, and Manjit Kaur for not continuing practicing after the Asian Games.

He had informed the athletes that they needed to take training for at least 18 months before participating in the Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games and that the competition will be tougher in the Olympics. The coach says he has not supplied any steroids to the athletes.

R. S. Sidhu, the women’s athletes coach has confirmed that the athletes had to purchase their own food supplements because there was no stock of supplements at the camp.