Hardly before dust could gather on the files of the long dragged Jani Chathurangani doping case the investigators are pulled out from their comforts to launch yet another doping investigation. This time too it is yet another female athlete, Premila Priyadharshani who has been caught up in the drug net. Unlike in Jani’s case (Norandrosterone - a banned substance under WADA) Priyadharshani has been found positive for a prohibited substance, Terbutaline which is a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) drug. But the news of the positive drug test has stirred up sport circles like it had been in the case of Jani Chathurangani.

Priyadharshani is the third female athlete to be tested positive for a banned or a prohibited substance. Incidentally, all three athletes, Susanthika Jayasinghe, Jani Chathurangani and Premila Priyadharshani have been coached by Dervin Perera who is standing up for the latter whom he considers has become the victim of a blunder caused by the Sports Medical Unit.

No sooner the reports of the drug tests (conducted at the National Athletic Championship) reached Sri Lanka, the Athletic Association launched their investigations. A three member panel headed by Brigadier Parry Liyanage is learnt to have concluded their investigations by now after two sittings. And they are due to hand over their findings to the Athletic Association who has vowed to take a stern action to put an end to the drug menace that will ail the up and coming athletes.

The Athletic Association being the sole authority over the drug tested athlete has acted according to the rules governing the Association and their verdict, which will be announced in the cause of this week, will be the one that will be accepted by the IAAF. But Sports Ministry too has now launched a separate investigation after hearing a plea from Priyadharshani who has denied using performance enhancing drugs.

What has really happened?

Premila Priyadharshani is learned to have been prescribed Bricanyl, which is the trade name of the prohibited drug Terbutaline, by a doctor attached to the Sports Medical Unit. According to Priyadharshani she had taken only vitamins issued by the Sports Medical Unit.

"I didn’t take anything other than what the Sports Medical Unit prescribed," Priysdharshani told Sportstar.

Can a doctor attached to the Medical Unit prescribe a prohibited substance?

According to medical experts, Terbutaline is sold under different trade names, is used as a fast acting bronchodilator and is often used to treat asthma. IT could also be administer to other patients who are ailing from various lung deceases and even cough.

Had she been treated with the prohibited drug how could she become a victim?

The athletes are advised to declare at the point of obtaining urine samples whatever vitamins and drugs they are using. However, Premila has failed to declare that she had used Bricanyl. While she has declared other vitamins she had been taking she has not mentioned about Bricanyl in the form she had been provided at the point of collecting urine samples.

On one side the Athletic Association, who are looking forward to curb using of performance enhancing drugs, are bound to take a stern disciplinary action against the athlete, Premila’s sympathizers are said to be persuading the Sports Ministry to launch an investigation to counter the AA’s investigation.

In Jani Chathirangani’s case too there had been several investigative units who negated each other. But finally an International Arbitration Court imposed a two-year ban on the athlete. Will the current state of affairs finally lead to such culminations or is the current fracas a storm in a tea cup? Or, rather, a storm in a urine container?