Olympic-bound athlete tested positive, confirms Nada

NEW DELHI: The

National Anti-Doping Agency

(

NADA

) on Wednesday did not take sprinter

Dharambir Singh

's name but confirmed TOI's report that one Olympic bound athlete has tested positive in the run up to the Games.



"As per preliminary report one Olympic-bound athlete has tested positive," NADA director general

Navin Agarwal

told TOI. "We have informed the athlete and it's his choice if wants to test his 'B' sample."

This paper had reported on Wednesday that Dharambir, who had qualified for the Rio Olympics with a new national mark last month, did not board his Rio flight early on Tuesday after being informed about the positive test. As per the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) rules, NADA could reveal the name of the athlete only after testing his 'B' sample. Dharambir has seven days, since being notified about his first failed test, to appeal for his 'B' sample test. But it's unlikely that he would get any reprieve since the

WADA

accredited laboratories rarely make a mistake while testing the first sample.

This fresh positive test has put a huge mark over the future of the 27-year-old Dharambir. If his 'B' sample also fails the test, he will not only miss the Rio Olympics but also be banned for eight years from the sport since it's his second doping violation.