AASL to take Jani case as catalyst

By S.R. Pathiravithana

Jani Chathurangi

The Amateur Athletic Association of Sri Lanka will appeal to the IAAF on the 5000 Swiss franc penalty imposed on it by the Court of Arbitration for Sports as it was named as a co-respondent in its charge against Lankan woman sprinter Jani Chathurangi who was found guilty for the usage of performance enhancing drugs.

The secretary of the AASL Prema Pinnawela speaking to The Sunday Times said that the AASL would appeal to the IAAF against the penalty imposed on it, but, they have found out that the woman athlete who was found guilty has no avenues of appealing against her ban.

Speaking further Pinnawela said “we are going make this case the catalyst. We have already started an awareness programme on educating the younger generation of athletes on the repercussions of the usage of performance enhancing substances. For instance Jani even without the usage of drugs was a good athlete, but due to a misfortune she chose the wrong path.

“Even now if she can come out and say how it occurred and who is responsible it would do a world of good to the future of athletics in the country and earnestly we hope that she would do so as there are culprits who are keen to lure poor athletes and show them short-cuts to glory. But, they must understand that it may be a very short-lived happiness.”

Chathurangi was found positive for using Nandrolene – a performance enhancing substance - at the South Asian Federation Games which was held in Sri Lanka in August 2006.