The Sri Lanka Anti-Doping Agency (SLADA) imposed a temporary ban on Sri Lankas 400 and 200m athlete Kalinga Kumarage for having used banned substances Director General of the SLADA Dr Seewali Jayawickrema said that the medical tests were done in New Delhi, India after they had collected urine samples of athletes on a random basis.
Initial medical tests had proved that Kalinga had used a banned substance called Anabolic-Androgenic steroid while competing in the Men’s 200m and 400m events at the Sri Lanka Army Athletics Meet held in October at the Sugathadasa Stadium in Colombo “Kalinga could now provide his urine ‘B’ sample for further medical tests but he will need to bear all costs for this exercise”, said the Head of the SLADA.
Dr Jayawickrama who pointed out if the athlete wanted to do the B’ sample test we can easily do itfrom the same New Delhi Laboratory. They did the A’ sample test and after an athlete request they can do the same test for B sample. The urine ‘B’ sample would cost approximately US$ 200.
Kalinga Kumarage had represented the country in several major international events and was a member of the Sri Lankan contingent which won a Silver Medal at the Asian Senior Track and Field Meet held in India in 2017. He was also selected for the 400m finals and also is a key member of the 400x4 m relay team which placedfourth at the recently concluded Asian Games in Jakarta. However reliable sources said Kalinga had not written his regular coach’s name with the urine sample test. If athlete is proved positive for the anti doping test normally both athlete and coach will get punished Recently several athletes were found positive for the doping tests.
Meantime SLADA has already commenced a new programme to enlighten athletes about anti doping and its chairman Prof Arjuna de Silva and Director General Dr Seewali Jayawickrama hope to introduce it throughout the country.
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