National Athletics coach Mohammed Kunhi sacked after doping controversy at NIS Patiala

New Delhi: In a fallout of the recovery of banned drugs from a top quarter-miler’s room at the NIS Patiala, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has sacked the 400m coach Mohammed Kunhi from his post. Kunhi was among the three coaches who were issued show-cause notices after 400m runner Jithin Paul was handed a provisional suspension following a raid by the National Anti Doping Agency (NADA), which found a banned drug — meldonium — from his bag kept in the hostel room at the National Institute of Sports in Patiala. [caption id=“attachment_3532045” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of India’s Jithin Paul(L), who was found with banned meldonium his hostel room. AFP[/caption] National coach Bahadur Singh and his deputy Radhakrishnan Nair were the other two who were show-caused by the AFI. “Yes, Mohammed Kunhi has been sacked,” a top official of the AFI told PTI. The official said that Bahadur and Radhakrishnan would be spared and they will escape punishment. “No other coach will be penalised,” the official added. The banned drug was found inside Paul’s bag during a search conducted in April jointly by the NADA and Sports Authority of India officials. The 27-year-old Kerala athlete, one of India’s best in the one-lap race, was in the national relay squad that participated in the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games and Incheon Asian Games.