NADA names dope offenders: International medallists among suspended

NEW DELHI: India’s leading karate athlete Pranay Sharma, winner of multiple silver and bronze medals at the Commonwealth Championships, and prominent woman wrestler Radhika are among the new names provisionally suspended for doping offences by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) pending formal hearings to decide a ban period.

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Pranay, who became first Indian to win gold at the Karate 1 Series A event in Jakarta three years ago, was suspended for being reluctant to provide his urine sample to dope control officers (DCOs). He was found guilty under NADA’s article 2.3 pertaining to “refusal”.

Pranay is the son of Hanshi Bharat Sharma, a leading figure in Indian karate and president of Karate India Organisation. Pranay was also a four-time South Asian gold medallist and national champion.

Radhika, who competes in the women’s 68kg and represented the country internationally, failed the dope test for clenbuterol, a non-specified anabolic agent under the WADA’s prohibited list known for muscle-building and fat-burning effects. Wrestlers Priyanka and Nitin and volleyball player Shahbaj Ali also returned positive for clenbuterol.

Another prominent athlete to fail the dope test is canoeist Shubham Kewat, who was part of the Indian contingent for the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023. His urine sample revealed traces of methyltestosterone, commonly used to boost muscle strength, mass and power. Kewat competed in the men’s kayak (slalom) event at the Asiad and finished outside the medal bracket. He was a gold medallist in the same event at the previous edition of the National Games in Panaji.