The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) has issued a four-year suspension to Indian weightlifter Sanjita Chanu.
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The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) has issued a four-year suspension to Indian weightlifter Sanjita Chanu for failing a drug test last year. Sanjita, who had won gold in the 48kg and 53kg weight categories at the 2014 and 2018 Commonwealth Games, respectively, tested positive for the anabolic steroid Drostanolone Metabolite at the 36th National Games in Gujarat in September-October 2022. The use of this steroid is prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
Sahdev Yadav, the president of the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWF), stated that Sanjita had received a four-year suspension from NADA. Sanjita will have her silver medal from the National Games taken away as a result of the positive test, which is a significant loss for her. Although Sanjita Chanu still has the ability to challenge the ruling, it is uncertain whether she will do so.
The doping scandal that Sanjita is currently involved in is not her first encounter with it. She was disqualified by the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) in 2018 after a testosterone-related test resulted in a positive result just before the World Championships in the United States in November 2017. Due to “non-conformities” in the processing of her sample, the World Organisation dismissed the doping case against Sanjita in 2020.
The order was dated March 31 and said, “The period of ineligibility shall commence from the date of provisional suspension i.e,12.11.2022. It shall be noted that the athlete has failed to satisfy the panel that the ADRV was non-intentional as per Article 10.2.1.1 of the NADA ADR, 2023.” “As per Article 10.10 of the NADA ADR, 2021, the athlete is hereby disqualified of all of the individual results obtained in the said Event with all Consequences, including forfeiture of all medals, points, and prizes since 30-09-2022.
Sanjita voiced her shock at the positive test result, claiming that she had been extremely conscientious about her diet and supplement usage since her prior doping incident. “I have been in this situation before. But I am not able to understand how this has happened. Since that incident, I have been very careful about my diet and everything. I check my supplements carefully and ask if they are free of all dope,” Sanjita said.
Sanjita’s chances of competing in the next Olympic and Asian Games have been severely damaged by the ban. The 27-year-old weightlifter has consistently performed well for India in the sport and had her sights set on Olympic success. Sanjita’s suspension by the NADA serves as a reminder of the stringent anti-doping regulations in force in sports. Strict procedures are implemented to make sure that all athletes compete on an even playing field because doping is a big problem. Athletes who breach the World Anti-Doping Agency’s tight prohibitions on certain substances risk harsh repercussions, including suspensions from the competition.
