New Delhi [India]: Indian javelin thrower DP Manu has been handed a four-year ban by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) after testing positive for a prohibited substance during the Indian Grand Prix athletics meet held in Bengaluru last year.
The 25-year-old athlete, who won silver at the 2023 Asian Athletics Championships in Bangkok and secured sixth place at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, was in contention for a spot at the Paris Olympics 2024 through world rankings, according to Olympics.com.
Manu was included in the Registered Testing Pool of the World Athletics’ Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) for the first quarter of 2024. In April 2024, NADA collected a sample from Manu during the Indian Grand Prix 1, where he had secured the top position in the javelin throw with a best throw of 81.91 meters.
The sample tested positive for a banned substance listed under Articles 2.1 and 2.2 of NADA’s Anti-Doping Rules, which pertain to the presence and use of prohibited substances or methods.
Following the positive result, Manu was provisionally suspended ahead of the upcoming National Inter-State Athletics Championships in June 2024.
His personal best throw is 84.35 meters, achieved during the Inter-State Championships in 2022. He also represented India at the Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham, where he placed fifth with a throw of 82.28 meters.
According to the list of sanctioned athletes published by NADA’s Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel (ADDP), the verdict in Manu’s case was issued on March 3, 2024. His four-year ban will officially take effect from June 24, 2024, rendering him ineligible for competition until mid-2028.