Eight year ban imposed on Indian sprinter Dharambir Singh by NADA
Indian sprinter Dharambir Singh has been slapped with an eight-year ban by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA). Singh was barred from representing the country in the Rio Olympics at the last minute when he failed to clear a dope test.
Singh, who missed his flight to Rio de Janeiro on 2 August for failing the drug test does not look in good shape as his career is now in doubt with the eight-year ban imposed on him.
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The 25-year old tested positive for an anabolic steroid in a test conducted by NADA during the Indian Grand Prix Meet in Bengaluru on July 11.
A top source to The Indian Express said, “Dharambir has been handed an eight-year ban by the NADA panel since this was his second offence. NADA has intimated the ban on Dharambir to IAAF and WADA."
Since this was the Haryana sprinter’s second dope related offence, the NADA Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel has handed him a lengthier ban of eight years.
Dharambir set a new national record in July 2016 winning the 200 meters race at the fourth Indian Grand Prix in Bengaluru clocking a brilliant 20.45 sec under the 20.50 seconds qualifying threshold for the 200 meters race in the 2016 Summer Olympics becoming the first Indian to qualify for the 200 meters at the Olympics in 36 years.
The Grand Prix was arranged by the Athletics Federation of India with the intention to give the Indian athletes a chance to make it to the Rio Games. Dharambir had earlier won the bronze medal in Men’s 200m at 2015 Asian Athletics Championship held in Wuhan.
Dharambir who used to work as an LIC agent to fuel his athletic dreams had earlier been stripped of his gold medal in a 100m sprint event during the National Inter-State Championships in 2012 for evading an obligatory dope test.
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His impressive timing had, however, raised suspicions amongst authorities as he has been erratic in his performance for quite some time and also has been training outside the national camp in Rohtak with his personal coach.