Parikshit Somani’s tennis career is in jeopardy after he tested positive for a banned substance during an ATP Challenger event and was subsequently handed a four-year ban.
Somani, who reached a career-high doubles ranking of No. 256, provided the urine sample on July 31, 2025, and the sample was found positive for trimetazidine, a banned heart medication that was also used in high-profile cases involving Russian figure skater Valieva at the 2022 Beijing Olympics and Chinese swimmer Sun Yang in 2014, both of whom were handed lengthy bans.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency confirmed that an independent tribunal banned Somani, who was suspended on September 23, 2025, until September 2029.
“An independent tribunal has suspended Indian tennis player Parikshit Somani for four years under tennis’ anti-doping rules,” the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) said.
Somani’s Defence Rejected
Somani explained that the substance might have entered his system through food prepared by a family member; however, that theory was rejected after the products he identified tested negative for trimetazidine at a WADA-accredited laboratory in Salt Lake City, USA. It must be noted that this was the same explanation that was provided by the lawyers of Valieva after she tested positive, but it was also not accepted and was handed a four year ban.
“In late 2025, while provisionally suspended, Somani accessed the ITIA’s player support programme to investigate multiple prospective sources of contamination, but the products tested negative for trimetazidine at the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)-accredited laboratory in Salt Lake City, USA,” the ITIA said.
The tribunal judges concluded that the food contamination theories were scientifically implausible, highly speculative and unconvincing. The ban means that Somani now cannot play, coach, or attend any events organized by World Tennis, the WTA and ATP, the Grand Slams or any national federation.