British wrestler Sandhu gets 4-yr ban for doping violation

LONDON, March 22, (RTRS): British freestyle wrestler Chinu Sandhu, who won bronze at the Commonwealth Games in 2014, has been handed a four-year ban for a doping violation.

Sandhu tested positive for an anabolic steroid in an out-ofcompetition test administered on Sept 20 and an independent National Anti-Doping Panel (NDAP) upheld the charge against him.

The 29-year-old had contested the charge on the grounds that he had not acted intentionally and that the positive test resulted from taking a contaminated supplement.

“Chinu Sandhu, an experienced British wrestler, has been suspended for a period of four years following a proven AntiDoping Rule Violation (ADRV) ...,” the NDAP said on the Sport Resolutions website (www.sportresolutions.co.uk) on Wednesday.

“Mr Sandhu’s ban will run from Oct 14, 2016 until Oct 14, 2020,” the statement added.

UK Anti-Doping chief Nicole Sapstead said that Sandhu’s reputation had been “tainted because of his own actions.

“Athletes are solely responsible for any substance which is found in their system, regardless of whether there is an intention to cheat or not.

“Chinu Sandhu was one of this country’s leading freestyle wrestlers having won a bronze medal at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games and represented Great Britain at the European Games in Baku in 2015,” she added.