Coach Kashinath Naik and Manu.
Indian sports activities has been hit by what’s prone to be its greatest doping embarrassment of the yr. Javelin thrower DP Manu — nationwide champion, Olympic hopeful and at present twelfth on the earth — is below a dope cloud after his title was conspicuously absent from the entry record for the 63rd inter-State athletics championships.
Manu, who has struggled to repeat his private better of 84.35m (2022), has been the most important hope for finishing a historic javelin trio — in addition to Neeraj Chopra and Kishore Jena — at Paris for India.
Whereas there was no official affirmation to this point of his testing constructive or a provisional suspension from the Nationwide Dope Testing Company (NADA), it’s learnt that the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) had been suggested to not enable him to take part.
Sources within the know admitted he had examined constructive for an anabolic steroid earlier this yr, most probably through the Indian Grand Prix 1 in Bangalore, however there isn’t a official communiqué to this point. Federation officers expressed disappointment on the information.
“I can solely say I used to be additionally stunned on the information after I acquired it within the morning. It’s much more shocking as a result of he has been examined round 14 instances within the final one yr, so there isn’t a likelihood of not being conscious or alert. It’s disappointing, that’s all I can say,” AFI president Adille Sumariwalla instructed The Hindu.
The frustration is much more baffling provided that Manu, regardless of not managing the qualifying mark of 85.50m, is positioned comfortably excessive to make the minimize by his world rankings and had no want for drastic measures.
Apparently, Manu would be the third thrower educated by former Commonwealth Video games medallist Kashinath Naik to be within the dope web if he’s suspended for doping.
Davinder Singh Kang, the primary Indian javelin thrower to make the World Championships ultimate in 2017 and 2019 Asian Championships silver medalist Shivpal Singh, each coaching below Naik, too have been earlier sanctioned for prohibited substances.
With the AFI now deciding to penalise coaches as properly for dope offenses, Naik too shall be below shut scrutiny.
