Excessive pork consumption reason for positive dope test, claims basketball player

29-year-old basketball player Shashank J. Rai tested positive of a prohibited drug through a dope test. 19-Norandrosterone was found in Shashank's sample which led to a 4-year ban. While India is no stranger to its athletes testing positive for such substances, the reason cited by the cager might be first-of-its-kind.

The athlete further submits that the regular consumption of pig meat by the athlete is the only plausible explanation for the presence of "19-NA" in his body, the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) report read. Further, to substantiate his claim, the athlete submitted a series of reasons which extensively explained his stand.

The Athlete is a native of Mangalore, a city in Karnataka. Mangalorean cuisine is renowned for their utilization of pig meat or pork. The Athlete is also a regular consumer of pork and had even consumed pork on the day of sample collection and the preceding day too, one of the points read.

Moreover, receipts of the meat purchase were also attached by the player which proved that the pork was bought from the Sri Durga Pig Farm. Multiple scientific studies which suggest how pork consumption leads to the creation of 19-Norandrosterone.

Based on the above submissions the athlete contended that the only plausible explanation for the presence of 19-NA in the Athlete's sample arises from the Athlete's consumption of pork and that there was no intention on part of the Athlete to consume a prohibited substance, said the report.

However, the panel wasn't satisfied by the athlete's defense and proceeded to slap the 4-year period of ineligibility on the basketball player.