In a rare case, a young Indian athlete and her mentor were both provisionally suspended for doping offences by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA). Eighteen-year-old Sanjana Singh, who clinched two gold medals in the recent SAAF Senior Athletics Championships in Ranchi, and her coach Sandeep have been sanctioned by NADA as per the latest update on the official website of the National Doping body.
Sanjana, winner of women’s 1500m and 5000m races in the SAAF event in October, tested positive for two steroids – methandienone and oxandrolone. She turns 19 on December 23.
According to NADA, one athletics coach, Sandeep (without surname), has been provisionally suspended for “Trafficking or Attempted Trafficking of Prohibited Substances”.
It is believed that the suspended coach is Sandeep Maan, under whom Sanjana trains in Rohtak, Haryana.
“Yes, it’s correct,” a source told PTI when asked if the coach in question is Sandeep Maan.
Young athletes caught in doping web
Middle-distance runner Himanshu Rathi has also been provisionally suspended for testing positive for stimulant mephentermine.
Meanwhile, triple jumper Sheena Varkey has accepted a 3-year suspension for a Ligandrol (SARM) violation under the ‘case resolution agreement’. The 33-year-old Kerala athlete claimed silver at the Uttarakhand National Games this year.
Basanti Kumari, a distance runner who competed in the 2025 World University Games in a half-marathon, tested positive for 19-norandrosterone.
Weightlifter Sankar Logeswaran, who won the top podium spot in the recent Khelo India University Games, was also provisionally suspended after testing positive for the steroid Drostanolone.
(With PTI Inputs)