Varsha Tekam Faces AIU's Sanctions for Doping Test Evasion

New Delhi, Nov 10 (PTI) Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), the anti-doping watchdog for track and field events, recently revisited the doping ban case of Indian long-distance runner Varsha Tekam, underlining the strict requirement for athletes to comply once notified for a doping test. On June 5, Varsha was handed a three-year suspension for evading a doping test after securing second place in the Pune Half Marathon last year. She was provisionally suspended on May 26. Following the half marathon held on December 15 last year, Varsha was approached for in-competition testing after finishing third. She was selected for testing, notified by a Doping Control Officer (DCO), and kept under observation. However, as she awaited the victory ceremony, Varsha claimed she needed water but disappeared into the crowd and never returned, according to a post by AIU on 'X'. Multiple announcements were made, and calls were issued, but she was untraceable. Consequently, no sample was collected. The Technical Delegate attempted to contact the hotel where she stayed the previous night, but it was confirmed that she had already checked out earlier that day. The AIU emphasized that evading a test constitutes a serious violation, with Varsha found breaching Rule 2.3 regarding "evading, refusing or failing to submit to sample collection by an athlete." Though the standard penalty for this offence includes a four-year ban, her sanction was reduced to three years following her early admission of the violation. The ban period commenced on May 20, aligning with the date of her provisional suspension, and her results beyond December 15, 2024, were nullified.