National Games gold medallist banned for doping, Kerala athlete could be upgraded to silver

A National Games gold medallist was among a slew of athletes handed a three-year ban by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) for using banned substances.

Gagandeep Singh, representing Services, had bagged gold at the Uttarakhand National Games on February 12. He later tested positive for testosterone metabolites and was handed a provisional suspension.

Gagandeep, who threw 55.01 metres for gold, is likely to be stripped of his medal. Haryana's Nirbhay Singh (54.07) and Kerala's Alex Thankachan (52.79) are expected to be upgraded to gold and silver respectively.

According to a PTI report, the 30-year-old Gagandeep got a one-year reduction in his ban period under "case resolution agreement" provided in Article 10.8 and 8.3 of NADA Anti-Doping Rule 2021. His three-year ban period started on February 19.

Four years is the maximum ban period that athletes caught doping for the first time are given. However, the ban period is reduced in case of early admission and acceptance of the sanction.

Two other athletes, Sachin Kumar and Jainu Kumar, were also served three-year bans. Judokas Monika Choudhary (metandienone) and Nandani Vats (metandienone), para powerlifters Umeshpal Singh (stanozolol) and Samuel Vanlaltanpuia (metandienone), weightlifter Kavinder (metandienone), kabaddi player Shubham Kumar (norandrosterone), wrestler Mugali Sharma (stanozolol, clenbuterol), wushu players Aman (norandrosterone, stanozolol) and Rahul Tomar (drostanolone, mephentermine) and one minor wrestler were also issued the three-year ban.