2024-07-04 22:06:47
New Delhi: Javelin thrower DP Manu, who is considered a contender for Olympic qualification, has been temporarily suspended by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) for consuming banned steroids. A source close to the development said that Manu’s positive test was taken during the Indian Grand Prix in April this year. Earlier, he was asked by the Athletics Federation of India to stay away from competitions on the instructions of NADA. The 24-year-old player, who won a silver medal in the Asian Championship 2023, was almost certain to qualify for the Olympics through the world ranking quota.
However, after this case came to light, his exclusion from the race for the Paris Olympics is almost certain. He was in the initial entry list for the National Inter-State Championships which began here on Thursday. But his name was removed from the list released later. AFI President Adile Sumariwala said that NADA has asked the federation to stop Manu from competitions but he did not confirm whether the athlete has committed a doping offense or not.
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There was a strong contender to go to Paris Olympics
Sumariwala said, ‘Something like this may happen, but we do not know yet what is the actual reason. Yesterday the AFI office received a call (from NADA) to bar Manu from competitions.’ He said, ‘No other details have been given. I think the athlete (DP Manu) himself is finding out from NADA what is the reason behind this.’ Manu finished second behind Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra with a throw of 82.06 meters in the Federation Cup in Bhubaneswar from May 15 to 19.
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He won the gold medal with a throw of 81.58m at the Taiwan Athletics Open in Taipei City on June 1. Manu was ranked 15th in the World Athletics ‘Road to Paris’ list and was on his way to qualify for the Paris Olympics as 32 athletes will compete in the men’s javelin throw event. The qualification deadline is June 30. Chopra and Kishore Jena have already secured automatic qualification for the Olympics by achieving the qualifying standard of 85.50m. A maximum of three athletes from a country can participate in any track and field event at the Olympics.