CHENNAI: Asian Games medallist in canoe, international medallists and quite a few minors are on the latest list of provisionally suspended athletes. Arjun Singh, a canoeist from Uttarakhand but part of the Madhya Pradesh academy, won the bronze medal at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games held in 2023.
The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) released the new list on Thursday. There are about 35 names and at least four are minors from various disciplines — weightlifting, powerlifting athletics, wrestling, boxing and even sports like wushu, judo and canoe.
Arjun tested positive for Methyltestosterone, an anabolic steroid that attracts a ban of up to four years for first offence. The 18-year-old also won medals at the National Games as well. Arjun had won the Asian Games medal alongside Sunil Singh Salam at the men’s sprint C-2 1000m.
What seems even more intriguing is the positive test of one — Kadir Khan. There is confusion about the name because of the date of birth listed as January 1, 2005. Even the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has no intimation about such a failed test. The NADA had collected urine samples from one Kadir on May 13, the day two meet records were broken in 24 hours at the Khelo India Youth Games held in Bihar. However, the date of birth on the World Athletics profile page is January 1 2008. What seems interesting is that another minor in the new list tested positive for the same mephentermine.
Another former junior Asian athletics medallist also tested positive for EPO (Erythropoietin) and stimulant Octodrine. Long-distance runner Poonam Dinkar Sonune, who has won medals at junior international events and at senior national and Khelo India University Games, tested positive and is facing a four-year suspension.
Once again the top defaulters are from athletics, weightlifting and wrestling. A minor testing positive in kabaddi should be a big concern as well. The youngster tested positive for steroid 19-Norandrosterone. There are about six from the National Games held earlier this year. There are Khelo India Youth Games athletes as well.
Shivpal Singh’s name, too, has been included on the list. He faces an extended ban for second time offence — he tested positive for stanozolol and metandienone.