Para Athlete Neeraj Yadav tests positive for doping; India likely to lose two medals in Asian Para Games 2022
India is likely to lose two gold medals at the Asian Para Games 2022 after Neeraj Yadav returned positive in a doping test conducted by the National Anti-Doping Agency. It comes almost a week before his departure to Hangzhou.
Multiple reports have suggested that Neeraj tested positive for anabolic steroids in an out-of-competition test held in Bengaluru. However, the Paralympic Committee of India's athletics coach S Satyanarayana said the sample could have been contaminated.
"We have written to the NADA that the sample in question might not have been his. Or otherwise, the sample could have been contaminated," Satyanarayana told news agency PTI.
Neeraj Yadav's case hearing is scheduled for November 21, where he will be allowed to explain himself. In case he is found guilty of doping by the NADA panel then a couple of gold medals will be deducted from India's record-breaking tally of 111 medals at the fourth edition of the Asian Para Games last month.
He won gold medals in men's discus throw and men's javelin throw, both in the F55 category. Neeraj created a new Asian record with the discus with a massive throw of 38.56m and also named the Para Games record in javelin (33.69m) after him.
Consequently, India will drop down to sixth position in the overall standings of the continental event. Indonesia, who also bagged the same number of gold medals as India (29), will be upgraded to the fifth spot if Neeraj Yadav's both gold medals are disqualified.
Neeraj Yadav's coach believes samples could be mismatched
Neeraj Yadav hasn't been provisionally suspended by NADA despite testing positive for the dope test. Writing in his declaration form, Neeraj mentioned that he didn't consume any food supplements.
S Satyanarana mentioned that samples of seven athletes were obtained in a single room at the SAI center in Bengaluru and there is a possibility of them getting mismatched, as reported by PTI.
Neeraj was diagnosed with Post-Polio Residual Paralysis at the age of seven. He began his sporting journey as a wheelchair tennis player in 2005. After representing the country for seven years in various tennis tournaments, Neeraj quit the sport to focus on his job owing to financial difficulties.
He decided to take up para sports after being convinced by his wife in 2015. He also won gold in the 2018 Asian Para Games in Jakarta, Indonesia.