SAI terminates medical consultant Chandran

The Sports Authority of India (SAI) Saturday terminated the services of Dr.P.M.S. Chandran as medical consultant to the organisation with immediate effect for gross indiscipline and spreading disinformation.

A letter to this effect was issued by SAI deputy director (personnel) Sunita Bharal after it was confirmed that Chandran was responsible for making statements to the media that alleged that women boxers, including minors, participating in the World Championship had to undergo pregnancy tests against the rules stipulated by the world governing body AIBA.

SAI and Boxing India (BI) have already clarified that the young member in the squad was born in 1994 and hence no minor was tested.

The tests were conducted at the request of the boxers after AIBA's prospectus for the World Championship, to be played in Jeju, South Korea, Nov 13-25, had clearly stated that the participants had to submit a non-pregnancy form issued by a qualified medical professional.

"If he had any difference of opinion regarding interpretation of rules, he should have consulted the relevant authorities including the sole AIBA technical representative in India. As a Consultant his main responsibility is to provide technical inputs to facilitate decision making by the relevant authorities in SAI," said the letter from Bharal, issued Friday.

"By no account this means that he can approach the press by misrepresenting the facts of the case. He has not only spread disinformation but also denigrated the organisation where he is employed as a consultant. This is tantamount to gross indiscipline.

"Keeping in view the incoherent actions of Dr. Chandran over the last few days, which are unbecoming of a senior medical consultant of SAI, the competent authority has decided to dispense with his services and hence terminate his services with immediate effect," the letter added.