Indian steeplechaser in doping net, out of Asian Games squad

NEWDELHI: National champion in men’s 3000m steeplechase, Naveen Kumar’s hopes of representing the country in his second Asian Games were shattered as he failed the dope test for performance-enhancing drugs conducted by the National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) at last month’s Inter-state Championships in Guwahati. He was among the 51-member squad announced by Athletics Federation of India (AFI) for Jakarta.

The Army runner, according to an official familiar with the developments, reportedly tested positive for meldonium, the drug banned by World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) since January 2016. Naveen has been provisionally suspended and faces a fouryear suspension if found guilty. He was considered a medal prospect and, in the run-up to the Asian Games, was training in Thimphu, Bhutan. He has been asked to quit the national camp.

Naveen had been dominating the steeplechase event for long, but his form dipped and he failed to impress in the Asian Championships at Bhubaneswar. On his comeback, he clocked a personal best of 8:39.42 secs, nearly three seconds better than his meet record set in 2014, to achieve the Asian Games qualifying mark of 8:41.40 seconds in Guwahati. During the 2014 Asian Games at Incheon, he had won bronze.

PLEA REJECTED

NEWDELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a petition filed by national 400m runners Prachi Singh and Chavi Sehrawat from Uttar Pradesh against the Athletics Federation of India’s (AFI) policy to exclude non-campers from the national relay squad.

According to AFI lawyer Parth Goswami, the petition was dismissed on the ground that any interference at this late stage would disturb the team combination for the Asian Games.

Despite finishing third and fourth, respectively in the individual 400m race during last month’s Inter-state Championships held at Guwahati, the duo was denied a place in the 4x400m relay squad because they didn’t attend the camp. In their petition the athletes had said that by virtue of finishing in the top six they should have been in the team.

NAVEEN KUMAR, WHO HAD WON BRONZE AT 2014 ASIAN GAMES IN INCHEON, REPORTEDLY TESTED POSITIVE FOR MELDONIUM