Patiala, July 8
Sacked Ukrainian coach Yuri Ogrodnik, who has locked himself in his house, lashed out at the Indian authorities today and said he could die following a heart attack, without food and for not being allowed to go out of the country. He blamed the Indian system for trying to frame him and claimed that he had never given any steroid to anyone.

“You want me to die of heart attack here, please go,” he shouted in reply to a query by The Tribune if had given any dope to any of the athletes. Banging shut the door of NIS hostel room number 19 on this reporter’s face and locking it from inside, Ogrodnik again shouted that he had not given any banned drugs to anyone. He refused to come out again despite pleas.

Visibly perturbed with his sacking without explanation, Ogrodnik tried to pick up a bottle lying inside his room and throw it at the mediapersons trying to speak to him. But once better sense prevailed, he dropped the bottle and shouted at them to go back as he was unwell. The coach has locked himself inside NIS for the past three days has refused to come out and address the media. Since Friday morning he is also upset about the attitude of the NIS authorities.

Denying that he ever gave any banned medicine or supplement to any Indian athlete, Ogrodnik said that the Sports Authority of India (SAI) needs to pull up its socks rather than blaming trainers. “The athletes do not get enriched food and whatever they are getting from them (SAI) is not sufficient as the demand for modern sports is hi-tech,” was all he said from inside the room.

Ogrodnik had, however, earlier told a section of the media that he feared that the supplements bought from outside could possibly be contaminated. He had said that the reason these supplements were bought was that they were not available inside NIS.

The poor standard of supplements and food being provided at NIS leaves athletes with no option other than buy these from outside and that is exactly what was done. “There is no question of giving any athlete any anabolic drug ever,” he had said.

Meanwhile the media contingent, waiting outside the NIS for the past three days, today tried to barge in on more than two occasions. Barring the first attempt, they were stopped by the NIS staff.

“You are not allowed to go inside and permission is required to go in,” said the security personnel at the NIS gate. Asked as to who would grant permission, they pleaded ignorance.