India's CWG campaign hit by fresh doping setbacks as two judokas axed

Glasgow, Scotland: Two more Indian athletes, Judokas Tulika Maan and Arun Kumar, were removed from the squad following doping concerns. Tulika and Arun were provisionally suspended by National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA).

Tulika Maan violated the ‘Whereabouts’ clause, which required her to be available for a test by NADA.

Arun Kumar was withdrawn from the squad after failing an out-of-competition dope test. The Under 73 kg category judoka, had participated in the Qingdao Grand Prix last month. He had been handed a provisional suspension by NADA for testing positive for an anabolic steroid.

“The notification for suspension has come. We have to withdraw him,” as per an official, who spoke to PTI.

Arun Kumar won gold medal in last year’s Asian Open in Taipei.

Tulika was a medal hopeful as well as she had won a silver medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

The Indian contingent took further hit after Dilbagh Singh was forced to return to India under clause 2.4 of the qualification system. This clause states that any CGA (Commonwealth Games Association) with an athlete who commits an Anti-Doping Rules Violation (ADRV) has its allocation reduced by one and in an event where there are multiple athletes with ADRV the number of spots reduced will be the same as the number of ADRVs.

The Indian contingent had fielded 12 athletes in weightlifting despite the reduced allocation of 11 and this apparently led to Dilbagh Singh being sent back home. Singh was reportedly chosen to be the player to be sent back to India as he has an ongoing back injury that prevented him from training during the preparatory camp in Birmingham.

In recent times, India has secured a large number of medals in weightlifting, boxing, athletics and para-sports. With the weightlifting and athletics teams being hit by a number of ADRVs, there could be an impact on the medal tally in Glasgow.

Another cause of concern is that India is set to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games and is actively bidding for the 2036 Olympic Games. The WADA report for 2024 shows that India had 260 athletes testing positive for prohibited substances. This figure results in India topping the chart for doping violations. The two most affected disciplines are athletics and weightlifting. These are also among the disciplines which carry the medal earning burden for the country.

The Sports Ministry is also seized of the matter and not happy with the situation.

Tags : Tulika Maan, Arun Kumar, Commonwealth Games, Glasgow, Judo, Doping, NADA