Clearing Of Doping Allegations
Prior to the Asiad games, Narayan had gone to Gandhinagar, Gujarat where the Indian camp had been setup. Due to weather change and strong room temperature, he caught cold and cough. He decided to consult one of the doctors at the camp only for a medicine.
Narayan expressed his concern that given he had to participate in Asian games, he needed a medicine that doesn’t have a banned ingredient as per NADA and WADA prohibited lists. The doctor assured him that all the medicines that arrive at the camp were dope-free.
(NADA- National Anti-Doping Agency and WADA- World Anti-Doping Agency)
After consuming the cough syrup, NADA members arrived the next day for urine samples of all the players. The tests happened, Narayan won a gold and returned to India. Banners were put up all around his locality, he received a prize money of Rs 30 lakh. PM Modi showered praises on him. He was also due to get Rs 1 crore from the government.
However, a day after his win he received an email from NADA which said that his samples tested positive for a doping substance- Terbutaline which is usually present in cough syrups. As soon as the word spread, all the banners were pulled down and his prize money of Rs one crore was put on hold.
He was shocked to hear this because he had been convinced by the doctor that the medicine didn’t contain any banned substance at all. Now, Narayan risked losing his title, his medal and being banned from all sports events for almost three years.
He booked an early morning flight and rushed to the doctor in Gandhinagar for a written proof. He came back to the capital and submitted all documents that proved he was innocent. Following a strict scrutiny and consequent hearing Narayan was finally cleared of all charges.
Speaking on how did Narayan end up getting embroiled in this controversy, his coach Amit said, “He was lucky to be out of this, otherwise his medal would have been taken, everything would have been gone. You need to practise smartly. Huge amount of money is involved in this so any of the competitors can feel why is he being given so much of money, let me try doing that, so you have to be really smart.
“Narayan has suffered and he has learnt his lesson, and I want to just tell it to everyone that don't trust anybody- any doctor, any friend, anybody who is referring you. NADA and WADA have given you a prescribed list of medicines and the prohibited drugs. Everyone has a smartphone, just google it whether it has got that banned substance or not. I would advise to go for a double check on this.”
Challenges
Narayan admits, when it comes to athletics they need more sponsors to support players who can’t make it beyond National Championships.
“I know when I was making him do the workout, he is a little afraid of longer distances and for him a genuine reason is that he is weaker from the left-hand side. He doesn't have strength on his left hand side. For specially-abled persons we need special gyms, over here I can't make him workout in normal gyms. So I think he is trying to find out one gymnasium where he can workout and where he can do the exercises.” his coach said.
Khanna further added, “At the moment what we are doing is, look at Narayan Thakur he was nowhere around until he won the medal; now he has become a champion so money is flowing in. We are accepting ready made champions but we need to make champions.
The government needs to make champions, catch them young, catch them raw and then make champions out of them.”"
India has never won a gold medal in sprinting, in athletics in Olympics, not even in the normal category. Narayan is now setting his eyes on Olympics 2020 to be held in Tokyo where he will have a chance to make history once again, by being the first para athlete to win a gold medal in sprinting.