India's hopes of retaining two gold medals from the recent Hangzhou Asian Para Games hang in the balance after Neeraj Yadav failed a doping test conducted by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) just days before the competition.
It has been learnt that Yadav tested positive for anabolic steroids in an out-of-competition test conducted in Bengaluru, just six days before his departure for Hangzhou.
If he is determined to have committed a doping offence by the NADA panel, India are anticipated to lose the two gold medals earned by Yadav in the F55 javelin and discus throw events during the October 22-28 event.
There is a possibility that India might slip from its original fifth place to sixth in the rankings. If this occurs, Indonesia, with its tally of 29 gold, 30 silver, and 36 bronze, would move up to the fifth position.
Initially, India secured 29 gold, 31 silver, and 51 bronze medals. However, if Yadav is found guilty of doping, the gold medal count for India could be reduced to 27.
"We have written to the NADA that the sample in question might not have been his. Or otherwise, the sample could have been contaminated," Paralympic Committee of India's (PCI) athletics head coach S Satyanarayana told PTI from Bengaluru.
"We got to know of the ADRV (Anti-Doping Rule Violation) on November 13 and he has seven days to represent his case. So, his case will be heard on November 21," he added.
Despite numerous attempts, the 39-year-old Yadav could not be reached as he did not respond to calls.
However, he acknowledged that if the para athlete, Yadav, is determined to be guilty of doping by the panel, India will forfeit the two gold medals he won in Hangzhou.
"Yes, we will lose the two gold medals if the NADA panel does not accept our contention. It does not matter whether it is an ADRV in a domestic sample or collected by an international agency or body, his results will be annulled since the test was done prior to the Asian Para Games," he further added.
"But why we are saying his sample could have been misplaced or contaminated is that he was tested twice in Hangzhou and so far we have not heard of any doping offence from the Asian Para Games samples."
He said that the PCI will await the results from the two doping samples provided by Yadav in Hangzhou.
"If he returns positive in Hangzhou tests, then he is guilty of doping and we have no case. If he comes clean in the two tests in Hangzhou, there is no way he will have an ADRV in the NADA sample because steroids remain for a long time in the body system," he continued.
"This particular test was done in Bengaluru six days before going to Hangzhou. He had given three samples in September, including during the trial selection for Hangzhou Asian Games, and they all came clean. He is an experienced athlete competing for 10 years and he knows the consequences.”
"Moreover, the sample collection of seven athletes was done together in a single room (of SAI Centre in Bengaluru) and there is a chance of samples being attributed to wrong people. This is what he told me.”
"It's two steroids and not one found in his sample. He was surprised to get to know of his ADRV. He said there is something wrong in the sample collection. He also told me that he has not taken any food supplement and he wrote this on the declaration form."
He said that despite testing positive for anabolic steroids, Yadav has not been provisionally suspended by NADA.
Notably, the rules of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) regarding provisional suspensions and contaminated products allow a Result Management Authority (RMA) the discretion not to enforce a provisional suspension.
"Although a Provisional Suspension is mandatory in respect of AAF or ADRV involving Prohibited Substances that are not classified as Specified Substances on the Prohibited List, an RMA may decide not to impose or to lift a Provisional Suspension if it is satisfied that (a) the Athlete’s explanation regarding the Use of a Contaminated Product is credible, and (b) no unfairness to other Athletes will result from the Athlete being permitted to compete,” PCI athletics head coach concluded.
Diagnosed with Post-Polio Residual Paralysis at the age of seven, Yadav maintained a passion for sports and engaged in wheelchair tennis from 2005 to 2012.
His life took a turn after he competed in the 2015 Delhi State Athletics Meet, where he clinched gold medals in shot put, javelin, and discus throw.
Yadav secured a gold in javelin throw at the 2018 Asian Para Games before achieving first place in both javelin and discus throw at the Marrakesh Grand Prix in 2022.
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