New Delhi: India’s U-23 world champion wrestler in 2023 Reetika Hooda has been placed under provisional suspension for a failed dope test as traces of prohibited substance S1.1 Anabolic Androgenic Steroids has been found in her urine sample.
The 22-year-old was tested on March 15 during selection trials for the Asian Championship and is now considering to get her ‘B urine sample’ tested. Should her second sample test return positive she could be banned for four years.
The National Anti-Doping Agency provisionally suspended Reetika on July 7, after which she left the ongoing national camp at the Indira Gandhi Stadium on New Delhi.
She became the first Indian to qualify for the Olympics in heavyweight 76kg category but couldn’t achieve a podium finish as he lost in the quarter-finals at Paris 2024.
“There is nothing confirmed as yet. I have not done anything wrong. I will fully co-operate with the officials. I have full faith in NADA and the (Wrestling) Federation. I can’t say more than that,” Reetika told PTI.
In March, she claimed a silver medal at the Asian Championship, following it up with a gold at the UWW Ranking Series event in Mongolia in May.
This year, Reetika had lost only one bout in three competitions so far and she was expected to be medal contender at the World Championships in September.
Apart from Reetika, two other wrestlers that includes another Asian championship bronze medallist were also handed provisional suspensions, a WFI official informed HT.
Recently, Asian Games bronze medallist canoeist Arjun Singh was also suspended by NADA after testing positive for anabolic steroid Methyltestosterone.
AFI decision
Meanwhile, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has decided to not to recommend athletes training under unregistered coaches for national awards to curb the alarming rise in doping cases.
By July 31, the AFI wants to complete mandatory registration for all qualified and unqualified coaches across the country.