Subrata Paul fails dope test, says will prove innocence

TIL Desk Sports/ India’s top goalkeeper Subrata Paul is staring at a career-threatening four-year ban for failing a dope test but has vowed to prove himself innocent by going for the confirmatory ‘B’ sample test. The 30-year-old Paul returned positive for terbutaline in the tests conducted by National Anti-Doping Agency on his urine sample taken on March 18 during the national camp in Mumbai.

Terbutaline is a bronchodilator and is taken when people have trouble breathing or for medical condition such as asthma. It is also present in commonly-used expectorants administered for cough and cold. But, athletes must apply for a TUE (Therapeutic Use Exemptions) certificate if they want to use asthma-related drugs.

All India Football Federation general secretary Kushal Das said Paul, an Arjuna Awardee, flunked an out-of- competition test last month. “Yes, Subrata Paul’s ‘A’ sample has returned positive for a banned substance and he can be banned for four years if his ‘B’ sample also tests positive,” Das told. “Actually, I am shocked at this development. Not many football players have failed dope tests. I never thought a player of his stature would fail a dope test,” he added.