NADA bans powerlifter Sandeep Kaur for 10 years

Powerlifter Sandeep Kaur was banned by the NADA's Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel (ADDP) for 10 years, one of the longest ban periods handed by the committee.

Sandeep was banned for her second doping offence as well as for using multiple prohibited drugs which constituted aggravating circumstances.

Her first ban was in 2019 (tested positive for Stanozolol) -- and an additional two years after her sample was found to contain multiple banned substances.

Kaur had returned to competition in August last year after serving a four-year ban for her first doping offence and she finished third in the 69kg open category in the National Senior Women’s Powerlifting Championships in Kashipur, Uttarakhand.

However, her urine sample taken during the championships tested positive for Norandrosterone, Metandienone, and Mephentermine.

After hearing the parties, the ADDP held that the athlete had failed to explain how the substance entered her body.

"It's difficult to hold that ADRV (anti-doping rules violation) was not intentional," the ADDP said in the order. NADA urged the panel to consider the aggravating circumstances in the case as the athlete has used multiple prohibited substances.

The ADDP accepted NADA's submission and held that the "athlete is liable for sanctions under Article 10.9 read with 10.4 and liable for the period of ineligibility of 10 years."

The panel, however, ruled that the athlete's period of suspension will begin on September 6, 2023, which is the date of provisional suspension.

In another important decision, wushu player Avnish Giri was handed a four-year ban for taking part in a competition while still serving a ban. He was banned from August 8, 2023, under Article 10.14.1 of the NADA Rules, 2021, which bars an athlete who has been declared ineligible or is subject to a provisional suspension from participation in any competition.