Sacked coach Yuri Ogorodnik blames SAI

India's sacked Ukrainian athletics coach Yuri Ogorodnik yesterday said "contaminated" food supplements could be the reason behind six of his trainees failing dope tests

India's sacked Ukrainian athletics coach Yuri Ogorodnik yesterday said "contaminated" food supplements could be the reason behind six of his trainees failing dope tests.


India's Ashwini Akkunji, Sini Jose and Mandeep Kaur who were
trained by Ogorodnik have tested positive. Pic/Getty Images

The coach also blamed the Sports Authority of India (SAI) for not providing basic facilities, modern food supplements and doctors to the athletes.

"I cannot believe the girls tested positive for the same anabolic steroid. I have never given any anabolic steroid to any athlete. I am not to blame for it. The athletes have taken only food supplements and those could be contaminated," Ogorodnik told TV channels.

Ogorodnik said the athletes had to buy food supplements from outside as supplements provided by the SAI were not up to the mark. "They (SAI) give us only vitamins and proteins because they don't have money.

For Olympics you need modern food supplements which are very costly. Here you get only rice and spicy food which is not good for the athletes."

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