Javelin thrower DP Manu banned for four years after failed dope test

New Delhi [India], April 12 (ANI): Indian javelin thrower DP Manu has been banned for four years by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) after a positive test for a prohibited substance during the Indian Grand Prix athletics meet in Bengaluru last year.

The 25-year-old athlete, a silver medalist in the Asian Athletics Championships 2023 in Bangkok and a sixth-place finishing athlete in World Championships 2023 at Budapest was in contention for a spot in Paris Olympics 2024 via world rankings, as per Olympics.com.

Manu was made a part of the Registered Testing Pool of the World Athletics' Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) for the first quarter of 2024.

In April 2024, NADA tested Manu's sample from Indian Grand Prix 1, where he had secured the top spot in the javelin throw with a best throw of 81.91 m. The sample returned positive for a substance banned under Articles 2.1 and 2.2 of NADA's Anti-Doping rules, which deal with the presence and usage of a prohibited substance or method.

After a positive test, Manu was given a provisional suspension ahead of the National Inter-State Athletics Championships in June 2024.

His best throw is 84.35 m, which he achieved during the Inter-State Championships held in 2022. During the Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham, Manu finished at fifth spot with best throw of 82.28 m.

According to list of sanctioned athletes which was released by the Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel (ADDP) of NADA, the verdict on Manu was given on March 3 this year and ban will be effective from June 24, 2024, ruling him out of the sport till mid-2028. (ANI)

(The story has come from a syndicated feed and has not been edited by the Tribune Staff.)