CHENNAI: In a dramatic development, the chief national coach of athletics has been provisionally suspended by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA). There have been very few cases when coaches have been suspended but when it comes to a chief national coach, this could be the first instance when NADA has provisionally suspended one. According to NADA's updated provisionally suspended athletes' list, Nagapuri Ramesh has been suspended for alleged 'complicity'.
Ramesh, who was conferred with the Dronacharya Award, has been the chief national athletics coach of the junior team for a while and it is understood that he was part of the camp in Hyderabad and later in Bengaluru as well. But he did not travel to the junior Asian Championships in Saudi Arabia. It needs to be seen what happens next when the Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel hears his case.
Of late, the NADA has been quite active while testing top athletes. Since junior players are involved the NADA finger would always point towards the coach.
What could turn into a big embarrassment for the Athletics Federation of India is one more coach has been provisionally suspended. According to the NADA List of Provisionally Suspended Athletes (as on 08.04.2025), Rakesh has been suspended for a more serious offence: "Administration of Prohibited Substance".
This is also the first time that three coaches have been provisionally suspended at the same time. The last coach is Karamveer Singh, who has been listed as judo/athletics coach.
Moreover, at least seven athletes have been suspended for evasion. One among them is sprinter Nalubothu Shanmuga Srinivas, who has a 200m junior national record in his name. There has been a case of tampering with the sample as well. When it comes to suspension, Mickey Menezes, an athletics coach, has faced a penalty for helping athletes to dope. He was charged by a junior athlete with administering banned substances. Later, the NADA banned him after a hearing.