Athletics body recommends dopey Renjith Maheswary for arjuna award again

New Delhi: Triple jumper Renjith Maheswary, who has been stopped from receiving Arjuna Award under controversial circumstances on charges of dope violation last year, has again been recommended by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) for the coveted honour this year.

A top AFI official said that Maheswary’s name has again been nominated for this year’s Arjuna Award on the ground that the Sports Ministry’s eligibility rule does not bar him from getting the coveted honour.

“Sports Ministry’s eligibility clause says that any athlete who failed a dope test conducted by a WADA or IOC accredited laboratory will be barred from getting the award. But Maheswary’s case relates to a test conducted in 2008 while the NDTL got WADA accreditation in 2009 only,” the official said.
“So, we have recommended Maheswary’s name again for this year’s Arjuna Award. Let us see what the new government does this time,” he said.