Women’s wrestling national champion in 55kg, Rani Rana, has failed the dope test and has been handed a suspension by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA). The Madhya Pradesh grappler returned positive for a banned substance (anabolic steroid) after being tested by NADA in February this year, the Times of India reported. She will now have to present her case before NADA’s Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel (ADDP) after the nationwide lockdown ends.
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She had represented India at the U23 worlds in 2019 and Asian championships in Xi’an, China. Rani had come under spotlight after becoming the first woman wrestler to win gold at the nationals for Madhya Pradesh.
Besides her, the anti-doping body has handed three athletes a four-year ban each after failing the dope test. These include Priya K (800m), Ashwin Kumar (weightlifter) and Anmol Singh (hammer thrower). Now, they have the right to appeal before the Anti-Doping Appeals Panel and challenge the ADDP verdict, the report added.
The outbreak of coronavirus in India and subsequent lockdown has hampered the movement of anti-doping squad. There is a significant drop in number of sample collection by NADA.
In March, only 95 dope tests (urine) were carried out by NADA in comparison to 550 dope tests in February.
