National Games Gold Winner Gagandeep Singh Among Athletes Across Sports Handed Three-Year Doping Ban

National Games discus throw gold medallist Gagandeep Singh was among a slew of athletes across sports who were handed three-year ban by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) instead of four after they accepted their offence within 20 days of being charged.

Representing Services, Singh had won gold in men's discus with a best throw of 55.01m at the Uttarakhand National Games on February 12. He later tested positive for testosterone metabolites and was handed provisional suspension.

In the NADA's latest update on dope offenders, the 30-year-old Singh got one-year reduction in his ban period under "case resolution agreement" provided in Article 10.8 and 8.3 of NADA Anti-Doping Rule 2021. His three-year ban period has started from February 19 this year.

The maximum ban period for a first offence is four years but Article 10.8 of the NADA Rules provides for "results management agreements" under which athletes can get reduced punishment based on early admission and acceptance of sanction.

Article 10.8.1 allows athletes charged with a four-year ban to benefit from a one year reduction if they admit the violation and accept the penalty within 20 days of being charged.

Article 10.8.2 provides an opportunity for the athlete to enter into a Case Resolution Agreement with NADA and WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) in which the applicable period of ineligibility can be agreed upon based on the facts of the case.

Singh will be stripped off his National Games gold medal. Haryana athlete Nirbhay Singh's silver is expected to be upgraded to gold.

Two other track and athletes, Sachin Kumar and Jainu Kumar also made use of the same provisions to get one year reduction in their ban periods. Sachin's three-year ban period has begun from February 10 while the corresponding date for Jainu is February 20.

Other sportspersons who were handed three-year ban under the case resolution agreement were judokas Monika Choudhary (metandienone) and Nandani Vats (metandienone), para powerlifters Umeshpal Singh (stanozolol) and Samuel Vanlaltanpuia (metandienone), weightlifter Kavinder (metandienone), kabaddi player Shubham Kumar (norandrosterone), wrestler Mugali Sharma (stanozolol, clenbuterol), wushu players Aman (norandrosterone, stanozolol) and Rahul Tomar (drostanolone, mephentermine) and one minor wrestler.

Most of them were put under provisional suspension by the NADA earlier this year.