B samples of Sini, Jauna, Tiana also test positive

New Delhi: The dope tainted trio of Sini Jose, Jauna Murmu and Tiana Mary Thomas faces a possible two-year ban as their confirmatory ‘B’ sample test also returned positive for anabolic steroids today.

The trio had their ‘B’ sample tests done at the National Dope Testing Laboratory on Monday and the results which came today confirmed their dope flunk.

Sini and Jauna had tested positive for methandionone while Mary Thomas had another anabolic steroid epimethandiol in her urine sample collected during the June 11-14 National Inter-State meet in Bangalore.

“Sini, Jauna and Mary Thomas’ ‘B’ sample also tested positive for anabolic steroids. Under procedure they will now appear before a NADA disciplinary panel and if found guilty, their maximum punishment would be two-year ban as it would be their first dope offence,” a NADA source said.

All of them had pleaded innocence, saying that the vitamin supplements they consumed while training could have been contaminated.

Sini was one of the members of the women’s 4x400m relay quartet that won gold in the Commonwealth and Asian Games last year. Jauna finished fourth in the 400m hurdles in the Asian Games. Mary Thomas was a member of the gold-winning 4x400m relay team in the South Asian Federation Games in Dhaka last year.

PTI