Former CWG champion Sanjita Chanu suspended for four years after testing positive for banned substance
The NADA has imposed a four-year suspension on Indian weightlifter Sanjita Chanu, a two-time winner at the Commonwealth Games, for failing a drug test last year. At the National Games in Gujarat in September and October of last year, Sanjita tested positive for Drostanolone Metabolite.
Sahdev Yadav, the president of the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWF), confirmed the same. "Yes, she has been handed a four-year ban by NADA," he told PTI. This also means that Sanjita will lose her silver at the National Games. Meanwhile, in 2014, she defeated Mirabai Chanu to get a gold medal in the 48 kg category. She went on to win a gold in the 2018 edition too.
Sanjita can challenge this though, if she wishes to. "I have already experienced this, why will I dope again and go through this again? I don't know if I want to appeal or not. In both cases, I will lose.
"If I appeal it will take time to clear my name and I will lose out on the chance to qualify for the Olympics and Asian Games. If I don't I will be suspended," she had told PTI in January. This is also not the first time her name has been involved in doping. She tested positive for testosterone in 2018.
"I have been in this situation before. But I am not able to understand how this has happened. Since that incident, I have been very careful about my diet and everything. I check my supplements carefully and ask if they are free of all dope," she had said.