A leading female sprinter from one of the southern states of the country had tested positive for a banned substance, according to a source in the Athletics Federation of India (AFI).
Even as details, including the name of the banned substance and the date of testing, are yet to be known, it is learnt that the sprinter, who last competed in the Federation Cup in Ranchi in May and was said to have missed the Inter-state meet in Bhubaneswar in June due to an injury, has been placed under provisional suspension.
Asked about the authenticity of the information, AFI president Adille Sumariwalla said, “NADA should be able to say.”
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The AFI had officially entered her name along with five other sprinters for the 4x100m relay event in the Asian athletics championships even though those names were not mentioned in the 54-member team announced through a press statement. Eventually, the AFI withdrew the 4x100m relay squad.
The development has come as a jolt to AFI’s effort to field a 4x100m women’s relay team in the Asian Games. The country is without its best sprinters as S. Dhanalakshmi and Dutee Chand have been out of action after testing positive. Hima Das, who is nursing an injury, is not competing at present.
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