Never Touched or Used Any Kind of Performance Enhancing Drugs: Dutee Chand Says 'Haven't Received Any Letter'

Indian sprinter Dutee Chand has been provisionally suspended after testing positive for a prohibited substance during out-of-competition testing.

Dutee Chand, according to a report in the Indian Express, said she did not receive any notification.

“I have been competing at the highest level for almost a decade and I have never touched or used any kind of performance-enhancing drugs. I have given my samples whenever asked. In 2014 I had to fight for my right to run due the hyperandrogenism case and now this has come up. I’ll have to see the letter first to tell you what my next step will be,” Dutee told the Indian Express.

“I haven’t received any letter from doping agencies or federation yet. I only got to know through media people that a letter is being circulated on social media,” she added.

In the letter addressed to Dutee, the AAF notification said, “I do hereby inform you that your sample A was tested at the NDTL (National Dope Testing Laboratory) in accordance with the procedure set out in WADA’s (World Anti-Doping Agency) International Standard of Laboratories and was returned adverse analytical findings as details given below.”

“I do hereby invite you to carefully read the contents of this letter which provides important information as to the potential consequences of the AAF and resulting disciplinary process,” the letter added.

As per the reports, the urine sample of the sprinter was collected on December 5, which returned positive for Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARMs).

According to United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), SARMs are a class of therapeutic compounds that have similar anabolic properties to anabolic steroids, but with reduced androgenic (producing male characteristics) properties.

SARMs are prohibited both in and out-of-competition for all athletes, from those competing at the highest level of sport to those competing at the recreational level.

SARMs are listed in the category of “Other Anabolic Agents” under section S1.2 of the WADA Prohibited List.

In another interview, Dutee reportedly said that she did some medicine.

“In 2021, I took some medication for my groin pain in Patiala. As there was no competition, I had taken medicines for my pain. I don’t know whether it was the reason behind he fresh test result or other natural hormonal imbalance,” Dutee told TOI.

(With inputs from Agencies)