Asian Games medalist Manju Bala handed five-year doping ban; several athletes suspended

Incheon Asian Games bronze medallist Manju Bala has been handed a five-year suspension by the Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel (ADDP) of the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) after testing positive for banned substances earlier this year.

The veteran hammer thrower, who won bronze at the 2014 Asian Games, was found guilty of using dehydrochloromethyl-testosterone and SARMS LGD-4033 (ligandrol) — both performance-enhancing drugs. Her positive test was revealed in September 2024, and the ADDP issued its ruling on October 15, making her ban effective from July 10, 2024, the date of her provisional suspension.

This five-year ban is one of the toughest punishments handed down by NADA recently, highlighting the agency’s uncompromising stance on doping in Indian sports. During her suspension, Bala is barred from all competitions, national selections, and events under the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) or any affiliated body. She also loses eligibility for national rankings and team selection during this period.

The crackdown wasn’t limited to athletics.

• Mohan Saini, another track athlete, has been banned for four years starting October 14, 2025.

• In bodybuilding, Gopala Krishnan, Amit Kumar, and Rajvardhan Sanjay Waskar each received six-year bans, while Shubham Mahara was suspended for four years.

• Boxer Sumit received a two-year ban, canoeist Nitin Verma was suspended for four years, and basketball player Shivendra Pandey for six years.

Additionally, the Anti-Doping Appeal Panel (ADAP) upheld a four-year suspension for sprinter Himani Chandel, reinforcing NADA’s consistency in enforcing disciplinary measures.

With this series of rulings, NADA has reaffirmed its zero-tolerance policy toward doping and its commitment to preserving fair play and integrity across Indian sports.