For the a_0(1450), cosidered as the q\bar{q} l^3P_0 state, "experimental" tensor splitting, c_{exp}=(-150\pm 40) MeV, appears to be in contraddiction with conventional theory of fine structure. There is no such discrepancy if the a_0(980) belongs to the 1^3P_J q\bar{q}multiplet. The hadronic shift of the a_0(980) is shown to be strongly dependent on the value of the strong coupling in spin-dependent interaction.