NEW DELHI: National Games discus throw gold medallist Gagandeep Singh is among several athletes across sports handed a three-year ban by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA), reduced from four years after they admitted their offence within 20 days of being charged.
Representing Services, Singh won men’s discus gold with a best throw of 55.01m at the Uttarakhand National Games on February 12. He later tested positive for testosterone metabolites and was provisionally suspended.
According to NADA’s latest list of doping violations, the 30-year-old received a one-year reduction in his ban under the “case resolution agreement” provisions in Articles 10.8 and 8.3 of the NADA Anti-Doping Rules 2021. His suspension began on February 19.
Under Article 10.8.1, athletes facing a four-year ban can have it reduced by one year if they admit the violation and accept the sanction within 20 days. Article 10.8.2 allows further negotiation between the athlete, NADA, and WADA to determine the ban period based on case specifics.
Singh will be stripped of his National Games gold medal, with Haryana’s Nirbhay Singh’s silver likely to be upgraded to gold.
Two other track athletes — Sachin Kumar and Jainu Kumar — also secured one-year reductions. Sachin’s ban started on February 10, and Jainu’s on February 20.
Other sportspersons receiving three-year bans under the agreement include judokas Monika Choudhary and Nandani Vats, para powerlifters Umeshpal Singh and Samuel Vanlaltanpuia, weightlifter Kavinder, kabaddi player Shubham Kumar, wrestler Mugali Sharma, wushu players Aman and Rahul Tomar, and one minor wrestler. Most were provisionally suspended earlier this year.
