Former Indian men’s hockey team goalkeeper, Akash Anil Chikte will be able to get back on the playing field, as the anti-doping appeal committee has reduced his 2-year ban to 13 months; he was tested positive for an illegal anabolic steroid. Chikte’s 13-month ban was backdated from March 27, 2018, the date on which he was temporarily suspended. This means he is free to come back on the field.

Chikte’s out-of-competition urine test was conducted by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) in February last year and he came out positive for nandrolone, an anabolic steroid which is debarred under World Anti-Doping Agency rules.

Chikte had asserted before the disciplinary committee that he could not get a Therapeutic Use Exemption after he was directed medication for a sports injury, because his father was suffering from brain clots and need to be operated on in February last year. Chikte, 26, told that he was busy with the medical procedure his father was to go through.

Chikte also argued that he had suffered an injury to his left foot and index finger during practice, when he was at the Bangalore national camp. When he returned to Pune, where he is posted as a Naib Subedar in the army, he went to the hospital and then received medication. He also produced documents (purchase invoices for the medicines) before the panel.

The disciplinary panel stated that the hockey player had not committed any offence under the anti-doping regulations, intentionally, and reduced the ban from two years to 13 months.