New Delhi: The doping scandal involving Seema Antil got murkier Friday with the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) giving her a clean chit in baffling circumstances and the discus thrower opting out of the Doha Asian Games citing mental stress.

In what appeared a clear eyewash, the AFI said it had formed a fast-track panel to hear the “alleged doping violation” by Seema and found the 23-year-old Haryana girl to be “innocent”.

In a press statement by secretary Lalit Bhanot, who ensured he was on the flight to Doha by the time the release got to the media, the AFI said the panel relied on “factual” circumstances before giving her the all-clear and paving the way for her participation in the Games.

Barely minutes after this release was issued, a letter written by the athlete in Hindi, was forwarded wherein Seema requested the AFI to allow her to skip the Games as she was in ”mental stress” over the last 15 days and not in a position to represent her country.

The reason for the stress, Seema said, was her father’s illness and “negative publicity” in the media.

“Looking at my present performance during training and the circumstances, I am not in a position to put up a good show at the Asian Games. Hence I request you to grant me permission to skip the Games,” she wrote in the letter to Bhanot.

AFI claimed it had constituted the hearing panel as per the rules of the IAAF but left several other doubts as to when it was formed, who were its members and how the surprising ruling came about.

(PTI)