AN INDIAN ATHLETE at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi has been provisionally suspended after testing positive for a banned steroid.
Walker Rani Yadav tested positive for the anabolic agent nandrolene, making her the third person at this Commonwealth Games to be caught doping.
Yadav, who came sixth in the women’s 20 kilometre walk on Saturday, could be banned for two years if found guilty.
“Yadav has been provisionally suspended from the Games and, in accordance with the ADS, the athlete will attend, or be represented, at a provisional hearing before the CGF Federation court later today” a statement from the Commonwealth Games Federation read.
The 20 year-old is the third athlete to fail a dope test, following Nigerians Osayemi Oludamola and Samuel Okon.
“It’s very unfortunate,” Lalit Bhanot, secretary general of the local organising committee, told a news conference.
“We tried our level best. Not only the federations but also the National Anti Doping Agency tried with our out-of-competition tests. The government is very serious about these things. One can’t be controlled if the person is trying to take some forbidden substance to enhance their performance.”