Asian Games probable judoka Jasleen Singh Saini fails dope test

Saini was named in the list of probables for the September 23 to October 8 Hangzhou Asian Games.

Published : Aug 06, 2023 16:45 IST , NEW DELHI - 1 MIN READ

The 25-year-old Saini had won a gold medal in the men’s 66kg category in the Taipei Asia Open early last month. (Representative Image) | Photo Credit: GETTY IMAGES

Judoka Jasleen Singh Saini, an Asian Games probable, has returned positive for a banned drug in an in-competition test conducted last month during Taipei Open where he had won gold, according to sources.

The 25-year-old Saini had won a gold medal in the men’s 66kg category in the Taipei Asia Open early last month.

“Yes, he had failed a dope test conducted by an international agency during the Taipei Open. So, he will not be in the Asian Games team,” a team coach, who has knowledge of the development said.

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The International Testing Agency (ITA) conducts testing and result management for International Judo Federation. Saini was named in the list of probables for the September 23 to October 8 Hangzhou Asian Games.

The Judo Federation of India had conducted a selection trial in Delhi in April but the final team is not yet known.

He became the fifth judoka to fail dope test in two months. Four judokas -- Harshdeep Brar (81kg), Gulab Ali Mohsin (60kg), Rahul Sevta (81kg) and Akshay (66kg) - last month failed out-of-competition tests conducted by the National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) during the national camp in Bhopal and selection trials in Delhi.

All four have been handed a provisional suspension.