NADA: Shooter, a boxer in doping web

NADA: Shooter, a boxer in doping web

FPJ BureauUpdated: Thursday, December 12, 2019, 12:10 AM IST
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Mumbai: It was not even 24 hours since the Russian were banned by WADA for four years, two Indians have fallen prey to this mean way of emerging champions.

World Cup medal-winning rifle shooter, Ravi Kumar, and former Asian silver-medallist Sumit Sangwan's were tested positive of doping by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) sending shocking waves across the country. The 29-year-old Kumar, who has not been with the national team since the World Cup in Munich last May, is a bronze-winner from the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games and the 2014 Asian Games in the 10m air rifle competitions. He tested positive for propranolol during a domestic competition here. The substance is used to treat high blood pressure and is on the prohibited list of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). "I had taken the medicine to treat migraine inadvertently. It was after being prescribed by my doctor at home days before I was tested during the Kumar Surendra Nath Memorial Meet in May-June," said Kumar.

"I explained everything to NADA and they understood but told me that my only mistake was that I did not disclose while being tested that I had taken the medicine, which contains a substance that is banned in the shooting. It is used for migraine and high blood pressure," he added. Kumar is not going to seek a 'B' sample test and has accepted the findings. The maximum punishment after accepting the A sample findings is two years but Kumar is hoping for a lighter ban. The NADA disciplinary panel will be deciding on the quantum of punishment in the next few days. Kumar said although his Olympic dream is now over, he would fight to ensure that he can be back in the reckoning as soon as possible.

On the other hand, the 26-year-old Sangwan was crowned 91kg category national champion in October and was preparing to return to his preferred 81kg division when it came out that he has tested positive for diuretic acetazolamide. Indian Boxing's High-Performance Director Santiago Nieva revealed that Sangwan has left the national camp in Patiala.

The boxer, who is an Olympian (2012, London), has been incommunicado ever since his adverse report became public and a Boxing Federation of India official said there has been no response from him on whether he wants a 'B' sample test or not.

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