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Jasleen Singh Saini, the Indian judoka, who was one of the many probable athletes for the upcoming Asian Games, has tested positive for doping. The 25-year-old failed a dope test conducted during a competition last month in Taipei, where he had won the gold medal as per the reports.
Hailing from Gurdaspur in the state of Punjab, Jasleen Singh Saini earned a victory in the finals of the Taipei Asia Open 2023 in the month of July, during the men’s 66kg category. He has defeated fellow counterpart Park Chanwoo from South Korea, while the other two judokas in the last four, including Minakoshi Ayumu of Japan and Yoon Hyeonsu, yet another South Korean, both of whom won bronze medals in Taipei.
Press Trust of India (PTI) broke the news while reporting the conversation with a team coach, who had knowledge about the aforementioned development. They were quoted as saying, “Yes, he (Jasleen Singh Saini) had failed a dope test conducted by an international agency during the Taipei Open. So, he will not be in the Asian Games team.”
It was revealed that the International Test Agency (ITA) conducts the tests and manages the results, with regard to doping, for the International Judo Federation.
Moreover, in the last two months, Jasleen Singh Saini became the fifth judoka from India to fail a dope test. The four previous judo players, who had failed in tests conducted by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA), were Harshdeep Brar (81kg), Gulab Ali Mohsin (60kg), Rahul Sevta (81kg), and Akshay (66kg). They were tested during the national camp in Bhopal and selection trials in Delhi.
