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After sprinter S Dhanalakshmi and triple jumper Aishwarya Babu, Indian contingent has received another setback after two athletes have reportedly failed the drug test for banned substances just four days ahead of the Commonwealth Games 2022.
India's top sprinter S Dhanalakshmi, who is the 100m and 4x100m specialist, and national triple jumper record holder Aishwarya Babu has been ruled out of the Birmingham Games 2022 after failing a dope test on Wednesday, July 20.
Now, men’s shot put IF1 category participant Aneesh Kumar Surendran and woman para powerlifter Geeta have failed the dope test after traces of prohibited drugs were found in their urine samples. The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) conducted an out-of-competition testing in Pune and Delhi respectively.
The Paralympic Committee of India Chief Deepa Malik commented on the matter and told TOI, "I am shattered to hear the news. I feel sad for the athletes and their unnecessary need to take shortcuts. We will hold our own inquiry into the matter. We are concerned as a federation despite doing so much to create awareness about doping, hosting webinars and personally interacting with the athletes. It gives me immense pain when I hear such a thing. We have a zero-toleration policy for doping."
Aneesh Kumar, who bagged gold at the World Military Games in October 2019, was tested at his training base in Pune by the NADA officials. He consumed medicines to treat his blood pressure but failed to submit a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) certificate.
On the other hand, Geeta was tested at the Jawahar Lal Nehra stadium in Delhi in June which revealed the presence of an anabolic steroid that led to her disqualification from the upcoming Birmingham Games 2022.