Ravi Kumar and four others banned by NADA for doping violations

Ravi Kumar and four others banned by NADA for doping violations

no photo

|

Getty

The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) has slammed a four-year ban on Ravi Kumar Katulu and four other athletes — Purnima Pandey, Dharam Raj Yadav, Sanjeet, and Gurmail Singh — for doping. With the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo just nine months away, the development is an embarrassment to the nation.

While Ravi Kumar won gold at the 2010 Commonwealth Games (69 kg category) and a silver in 2014 (77 kg), Purnima won the gold at the 2016 junior Commonwealth Championships. Dharam Raj is the Federation Cup champion in discus throwing, Sanjeet a 100 and 200m sprinter, and Gurmail Singh another weightlifter. But all five has a doping ban to add to their resumes after being tested positive for various substances by NADA. Ravi Kumar's urine sample tested positive for banned substance Ostarine, which helps increase muscle mass, Purnima’s sample had traces of steroids, and Dharam Raj’s sample had increased levels of testosterone. 

The positive dope result of Ravi Kumar, the reigning national champion in 89kg category has pushed the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF) closer to losing its quota places for Tokyo. With India now falling into the category of countries with 10 to 19 doping violations, they will be allowed to field only two men and two women according to the game’s global governing body, the IWF. Another athlete, archer Sangampreet Bisla, was let off with a reprimand after failing to report for terbutaline use.

The embarrassing news comes after the country was subjected to global shame when the National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL) was suspended by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) for noncompliance of its laboratory testing procedures.

Get updates! Follow us on

Open all