NEW DELHI: Sprinter Lalit Kumar, who gained prominence after running alone in the 100m race at the Delhi state athletics championships here last year following the withdrawal of all other participants due to the presence of dope control officers (DCOs), has been handed a four-year ban by the National Anti-Doping Agency (Nada) for the presence of prohibited substance - drostanolone metabolite - in his urine sample.
Lalit's ban comes into effect from Oct 23, 2023 after Nada's anti-doping disciplinary panel (ADDP) pronounced its decision late last month. Eight runners had qualified for the 100m final at the Delhi state meet but after learning about the presence of DCOs - who were at the venue to collect the urine samples of the competitors - all except Lalit fled the track.
Another sprinter Himani Chandel, who stood first after securing her personal best timing of 11.69s in the 100m event at the Federation Cup senior athletics meet in Ranchi last year, has been banned for four years by the ADDP after testing positive for the steroid drostanolone.
Himani, who secured multiple podium finishes at different Federation Cup championships last year, will serve her ban effective June 15, 2023. Himani was part of the Indian 4x100m squad for the Asian Championships in Bangkok last year but was dropped following her doping offence.
Men's 400m runner, Akash Kumar - a bronze medallist at the Asian U20 championships - has been barred from competing for two years effective August 10, 2023 after failing to report his whereabouts. Akash was banned following three whereabout clause violations including one missed test.
Indian men's basketball team player, Shashank J Rai, has been handed an ineligibility period of four years after his samples returned positive for steroid norandrosterone. He had challenged the sanction imposed by the ADDP, but Nada's appeals panel (ADAP) upheld the decision.
