National Anti-Doping Agency Issues Provisional Suspensions for Multiple Athletes
The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) has released its latest list of athletes sanctioned for doping violations, revealing that a Commonwealth Youth weightlifting champion, several Khelo India Games medallists, and an Asian junior championships bronze-winning wrestler are among those provisionally suspended. The agency has taken this action pending formal hearings to determine the duration of bans, with urine samples from the athletes showing traces of anabolic steroids.
High-Profile Weightlifter Lalruatfela Tests Positive for Stanozolol
In its updated list, NADA highlighted the case of Lalruatfela, a promising international weightlifter from Mizoram, who tested positive for stanozolol during in-competition testing. Lalruatfela achieved significant success in 2023 by winning gold in the men’s 81kg category at the Commonwealth Youth meet in Greater Noida. Additionally, in 2024, he set a new national record in clean and jerk by lifting 174kg in the 89kg category at the Nationals, making his suspension a notable blow to the sport.
Khelo India Athletes Fail Dope Tests for Banned Substances
Three athletes from the Khelo India program have also been implicated in doping scandals. Khushboo Kumari from Bihar, a weightlifter, tested positive for SARMS (LGD 4033) ligandrol. Achalveer Karwasra from Chandigarh, a boxer, failed the dope test for metandienone. Chirag Sehgal from Delhi, a professional cyclist and national medallist, was sanctioned for drostanolone.
These athletes have notable achievements: Sehgal is a national champion in road racing, a Khelo India University Games bronze winner, and an All India University gold medallist in track cycling. Khushboo won gold in the women’s 77kg category at last year’s KIUG in Bikaner, while Achalveer was a women’s welterweight category champion at the Khelo India Youth Games in Panchkula in 2022.
Wrestlers and Boxer Also Sanctioned by NADA
The list extends to other sports, with Anuj Kumar Vishnoi, a men’s freestyle wrestler, testing positive for methandienone. Vishnoi was a gold medallist at the Nationals, underscoring the high level of competition affected by these violations. Additional athletes sanctioned include wrestlers Guradeshwar Singh and Manjunath N Goudappanavar, as well as boxer Sahil, though specific details on their cases were not provided in the release.
Implications for Indian Sports and Anti-Doping Efforts
This wave of suspensions highlights ongoing challenges in maintaining clean sports in India, particularly among rising stars in programs like Khelo India. NADA’s actions emphasize the agency’s commitment to enforcing anti-doping regulations, but they also raise concerns about the prevalence of performance-enhancing drugs in competitive athletics. The provisional suspensions will remain in effect until formal hearings conclude, which will decide the length of bans and potential impacts on the athletes’ careers and future participation in events.
The cases serve as a stark reminder of the importance of integrity in sports and the rigorous testing protocols in place to ensure fair play across all levels of competition.
