Sanjeevani provisionally suspended for failing dope test

Indian long distance runner Sanjeevani Jadhav has been placed under provisional suspension for failing a dope test last year.

Sanjeevani's sample initially returned negative, but was later found to contain Probenecid - a masking agent - when tested at WADA's Montreal laboratory. (Representative Image)

Indian long distance runner Sanjeevani Jadhav has been placed under provisional suspension for failing a dope test last year.

Sanjeevani had failed a dope test in November 2018 when her sample taken during the National Inter-State Athletics Championships was found to contain Probenecid, a masking agent.

Her sample initially returned negative when tested at the National Dope Testing Laboratory here, but was later found to contain the prohibited substance when tested at World Anti-Doping Agency’s Montreal laboratory.

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The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) did not hand her a provisional suspension as it was not required at that stage. She was allowed to compete and she won the 10,000m race in the Federation Cup earlier this year.

She was also selected in the Indian team for the Asian Championships held in April in Doha after clearance by the NADA, and she won a bronze by clocking 32:44.96.

The Athletics Integrity Unit, an independent body set up by the international athletics federation to deal with these kind of cases, issued charges on the 22-year-old Sanjeevani on Wednesday and she has been placed under provisional suspension.

An Athletics Federation of India official said: “When she failed dope test last year, she was asked to take voluntary suspension and fight her case. But she did not do that and said she is innocent.”