Indian goalkeeper Subrata Pal is staring at a career-threatening four-year ban after failing a dope test but has vowed to prove himself innocent by going for the confirmatory 'B' sample test.
All India Football Federation (AIFF) General Secretary Kushal Das confirmed the news about Pal, who tested positive for a drug called terbutaline, telling PTI, "Yes, Subrata Pal's 'A' sample has returned positive for a banned substance and he can be banned for four years if his 'B' sample also tests positive. The urine sample was taken by NADA on March 18 when the Indian team was in the national camp in Mumbai. All the players were tested during that camp."
Pal, an Arjuna awardee, has said he will use the option of getting his 'B' sample tested. "I will prove my innocence as I have played the game with honesty and integrity in my career of more than 10 years now. I will request for the 'B' sample test," Pal told PTI.
Pal is India's most-capped goalkeeper, his 64 caps placing him 20 ahead of Peter Thangaraj, who held the record before him. Pal was India's goalkeeper during their three successive title triumphs under English coach Bob Houghton - the Nehru Cups of 2007 and 2009, and the AFC Challenge Cup in 2008 - and he also kept goal for India in all the matches at the AFC Asian Cup in Qatar in 2011, making 35 saves in all matches, including 16 in a 4-1 defeat to Korea.
Pal is also the first Indian goalkeeper to sign for a foreign club, having signed up with FC Vestsjaelland of Denmark in January 2014, and has also represented Kolkata's big two clubs, Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, besides a long stint with Pune FC. He has played for Mumbai City FC and NorthEast United in the Indian Super League (ISL), and represented DSK Shivajians for the past two seasons of the I-League.
Considering he will be 31 later this year and is no longer the first choice goalkeeper of the Indian national team, a ban could spell the end of his international career. However, there is unlikely to be further repercussions to the teams he has played for following his failed test.
While in athletics, a single athlete failing a dope test could mean the disqualification of, say, his relay team, the rules are different in a team sport like football. "It's only if more than two players from a team fail a dope test during competition that the team is penalised. So it is only Subrata Pal who will have to face the suspension if his ban is upheld," Dr PSM Chandran, president of the Indian Federation of Sports Medicine told ESPN.
This means that the Indian national team which beat Cambodia 3-2 on March 22 will not lose any points for the actions of Pal, who was a reserve goalkeeper for India during that match. Pal's I-League club DSK Shivajians will also not forfeit any points for the same reason.
If Pal's 'B' sample does test positive, it will not be the first instance of an Indian footballer playing in the highest level of the sport being found guilty of a drug offence. Former Mumbai FC captain Nishant Mehra was given a three-year ban in 2011 for failing a dope test, but his ban was reduced to two years and he signed up for his old club in February 2013.