NEW DELHI: Indian weightlifter Sanjita Chanu, a two-time Commonwealth Games champion, has been handed a four-year ban by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) for failing a dope test last year.
Sanjita had tested positive for an anabolic steroid – Drostanolone Metabolite – that features in the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) prohibited list, during the in-competition testing at the National Games in Gujarat in September-October last year.
Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWF) president Sahdev Yadav confirmed the development to PTI.
“Yes, she has been handed a four-year ban by NADA,” he told the newswire.
This is a huge setback for Sanjita, who will also be stripped of the National Games Silver medal as a result of the positive test.
Sanjita had won Gold in 48kg ahead of Mirabai Chanu at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
At the 2018 edition in the Gold Coast, she was crowned champion in the 53kg category.
The Manipuri still has the option to appeal the decision. However, it is not sure if she will choose to do so.
It is not the first time that the 2011 Asian Championship Bronze medallist finds herself embroiled in a dope controversy.
She had been banned by the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) in 2018 after she tested positive for anabolic steroid testosterone prior to the World Championships in the US in November 2017, PTI further reports.
In 2020, the world body, however, dropped the doping charge against Sanjita due to “non-conformities” in the handling of her sample.
