Indian athletes who have failed dope test ahead of CWG 2022

Here’s the list of Indian athletes who have tested positive for banned substances ahead of Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham.

Published : Jul 25, 2022 15:05 IST

Representative Image: Indian athletes have been caught in a doping net ahead of the Commonwealth Games 2022.
Representative Image: Indian athletes have been caught in a doping net ahead of the Commonwealth Games 2022. | Photo Credit: REUTERS
infoIcon

Representative Image: Indian athletes have been caught in a doping net ahead of the Commonwealth Games 2022. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Here’s the list of Indian athletes who have tested positive for banned substances ahead of Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham.

S. Dhanalakshmi (athletics)- Sprinter S. Dhanalakshmi  tested positive for banned drugs a few days ahead of the multi-sport event and has been ruled out of the Games and handed a provisional suspension. The 24-year-old Dhanalakshmi was a part of the athletics team for the Birmingham CWG and returned positive for a banned steroid in a dope test conducted abroad by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) of the World Athletics. She was named in the CWG team for 100m and the 4x100m relay team. 

Aishwarya Babu (high and triple jumper)- Jumper Aishwarya Babu was also tested positive for banned drugs a few days ahead of the CWG. Having been ruled out of the Games and handed provisional suspensions, the 24-year-old Aishwarya’s dope sample was taken by the National Anti-Doping Agency officials during the National Inter-State Athletics Championships in Chennai last month which tested positive. Aishwarya’s progress in the last couple of years has raised eyebrows. Two years ago, she made a 6.25m long jump and a 13.29m triple jump. Her long-jump mark has improved to 6.52m (in 2021) and 6.73 this year, and her triple jump has improved to 13.55 (in 2021) and 14.14 this year.

Women’s 4x100m relay team member- A member of the CWG 2022-bound women’s 4x100m relay team is set be withdrawn from the Indian squad after testing positive for a banned drug .No official is willing to confirm the name of the dope offender. “A member of the relay team bound for CWG has tested positive and she will be withdrawn,” a top source told  PTI without elaborating .With the latest dope flunk, the women’s 4x100m relay team has been left with just four members. If an injury happens to the remaining four members, somebody from other track events may have to be roped in, which, however, will affect the team’s performance.

Aneesh Kumar ( para discus thrower) and Geeta ( para powerlifter)- Para discus thrower Aneesh Kumar and para powerlifter Geeta have also tested positive for banned substances. The dope samples were collected out of competition by the NADA officials. Geeta tested positive for anabolic steroid while Kumar’s sample was found to contain diuretics and masking agent Hydrochlorothiazide. Geeta has been handed provisional suspension and has been withdrawn from the CWG team. Kumar, on the other hand, is likely to compete in the CWG as he has not been handed provisional suspension since Hydrochlorothiazide is a specified substance under the WADA Code. Provisional suspension is not mandatory for specified substances.

With many big names, like discus thrower Kamalpreet Kaur (sixth, Tokyo Olympics), Asian silver medallist javelin thrower Shivpal Singh, quartermiler M.R. Poovamma (Asian Games 4x400m relay gold medallist), former National javelin record holder Rajender Singh and some new National gold medallists like Taranjeet Kaur and K. Naresh Kumar — 2021 Warangal National Open 100m champions — failing dope tests in the last 12 months, and now with Dhanalakshmi and Aishwarya joining the list, this is perhaps the worst year for Indian athletics after the 2011 scandal when six women quartermilers were caught in the doping net.

Sign in to unlock all user benefits
  • Get notified on top games and events
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign up / manage to our newsletters with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early bird access to discounts & offers to our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide to our community guidelines for posting your comment