'NADA asked to stop Manu's participation in Inter-State'- AFI Prez on doping rumors

Panchkula, Haryana: Indian javelin fans were shocked when the news of Olympic hopeful thrower DP Manu being provisionally suspended by the National Anti-Doping Agency came out yesterday.

Currently ranked 15th in the Road To Paris rankings of World Athletics, Manu was seen as the third Indian Javelin Thrower on his way to the Olympics after Olympic Champion Neeraj Chopra and Asian Games medalist Kishore Kumar Jena.

However, The Bridge has learned that Manu has tested positive for an anabolic steroid and it came during the first Indian Grand Prix in April 2024.

Manu was asked to stay away from the ongoing National Inter-State Athletics Championships after NADA asked the Athletics Federation of India not to allow him to participate.

Confirming the development, AFI President Adille Sumariwalla told The Bridge, "Yes, we have received some information from NADA and hence Manu was asked to not perform here."

"We still don't know what it is and we are enquiring about it. The athlete is also finding out what has happened," he added further.

Manu finished second behind Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra with a throw of 82.06m in the Federation Cup from May 15 to 19 in Bhubaneswar. He later won gold in the Taiwan Athletics Open in Taipei City on June 1 with a throw of 81.58m.

"I am surprised about the doping thing cause Manu is part of the Regular Testing Pool (RTP) and has been tested many times in the course of the last two years," Adille said.

Phone calls to the athlete and his coach Kashinath Naik went unanswered.

With Manu not participating in the event, a returning Rohit Yadav, and the latest addition to the 80m club, Sachin Yadav will eye for the third spot by trying to achieve the Olympic qualification mark of 85.50m.

A country can have a maximum of three athletes in an Olympic track and field event.