CHENNAI: In a big embarrassment for the country ahead of the 2026 Asian Games, yet another wrestler failed dope thus reducing India's participation in the quadrennial event once again. Urine sample of Deepak, who competes in the 67kg of the Greco-Roman wrestling, was taken during the selection trials organised to pick the national squad for the Asian Games. Given the situation, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has decided to withdraw Deepak's name from the upcoming continental multi-discipline event.
In a separate incident, an Asian Games-bound swimmer, who earlier tested dope positive, has been banned after a hearing, which was held on Friday. The notice was issued on Wednesday. Besides, javelin thrower Shilpa Rani, who won gold at the 2026 Federation Cup, has also tested positive for a banned substance. Rani though is not part of the Asian Games squad.
Meanwhile, Deepak's sample, which contained prohibited substance Clomifene, returned as an Atypical Finding on June 23, 2026, said a notice issued by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) to the wrestler on Wednesday. Clomifene is a prescription oral medication primarily used to treat female infertility by stimulating ovulation. The NADA also interviewed the wrestler on August 17. "An interview on 17.08.2026 was conducted where you did not disclose use of any medication related to the said prohibited substance, also there was no declaration of any pharmaceutical product on the doping control form by you during the sample collection. Also, you did not produce any purchase records, invoices and bills related to the dietary supplements you claimed to consume during the interview. Therefore as per ISRM article 5.2.3, it has been decided to move forward 'Atypical Finding' as an 'Adverse Analytical Finding'," said the notice.
The NADA in the notice also clarified that Deepak was not provisionally suspended pending the resolution of his case and may continue to participate in competitions. "However, please note that, all competitive results you obtain from the date your positive Sample was collected, through the commencement of any provisional suspension or period of ineligibility, shall, unless fairness requires otherwise, be disqualified, with all of the resulting consequences including forfeiture of any medals, points and prizes," read the notice.
The NADA also gave him the option to voluntarily accept the provisional suspension and if does so, he will receive a credit for such a period of voluntary provisional suspension against any period of ineligibility that may ultimately be imposed upon him. The trials for the men wrestlers (both freestyle and Greco-Roman) were held at the SAI Regional Centre in Lucknow. Deepak won the trials in the 67kg to make it to the squad for the Games scheduled to begin in Japan on September 19.
Ironically, Deepak along with other selected GR wrestlers recently returned from Uzbekistan after attending a training-cum-exposure camp. This is the third incident of a selected wrestler testing positive for banned substances. Earlier, Deepanshu (130kg in Greco-Roman) and Mukul Dahiya (86kg in freestyle) returned positive. Like Deepak, Mukul also accompanied selected freestyle wrestlers to Yerevan, Armenia for a preparatory camp.
A total of six wrestlers in each style (women's wrestling, men's freestyle and Greco-Roman) were picked after the selection trials for the Asian Games taking the total strength to 18. However, the dope positive cases meant now India can field only 15 competitors with three weight categories (86kg in freestyle and 67kg and 130kg in Greco-Roman) going unrepresented.
"The sample was taken on May 31 and the WFI received the notice today (September 9). The same thing happened with Mukul. In that case the federation didn't even receive the notice and got to know about it from sources," a source in the know of the development told this daily.
Earlier, the Indian campaign at the 2026 Commonwealth Games too was hit by doping with a couple of selected judokas testing positive ahead of the commencement of the event in Glasgow. The country's quota in weightlifting too was reduced by one due to Anti Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) by the lifters. One of the selected lifters, Dilbag Singh, who attended the camp in Birmingham for the CWG, had to return home without participation due to it.
