Abhishek Pal Returns to Competition Amid Doping Controversy

Abhishek Pal, the Indian long-distance runner previously embroiled in a doping controversy, has made a comeback at the 65th National Open Athletics Championships. Despite being dropped from the Asian Games squad due to an atypical finding related to clomiphene, Pal competed in the 10,000 meters race, finishing fourth. The Athletics Federation of India has allowed him to participate, as his unique identification number remains active. Pal is currently challenging the doping charges against him, which stem from a sample collected earlier this year. His legal team argues that the investigation into the allegations was insufficient. Read on to learn more about his journey and the implications of his case.

By Narendra Chaudhary Oct 10, 2026, 00:09 IST

Abhishek Pal's Comeback at National Open Athletics Championships

Abhishek Pal, the Indian long-distance runner previously excluded from the Asian Games due to doping allegations, has made a return to the track. He is currently competing in the 10,000 meters at the 65th National Open Athletics Championships. Pal had faced an atypical finding (ATF) after his sample tested positive for clomiphene, a medication typically used for female infertility.

In the recent race, Shivaji Madappa from Railways clinched the gold medal, while Gaurav Mathur from Delhi and Vinod Singh from Madhya Pradesh secured the silver and bronze medals, respectively. Pal, representing Railways, finished fourth with a time of 30:38.54 seconds.

Interestingly, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI), which had previously barred him from competing in the 10,000m and 5,000m events at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, has permitted him to participate in this domestic competition.

Sources indicate that Pal's unique identification number has not yet been blocked, allowing him to compete. "He has not been provisionally suspended, so he can participate in the Delhi meet," a source confirmed.

Although Pal has not received a provisional suspension, he was issued a notice of charge for an adverse analytical finding (AAF) by the National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) on September 2, 2026. His sample, collected on May 10, 2026, during the Indian Athletics Series in Chennai, showed a concentration below the two nanograms per milliliter (2 ng/mL) threshold set by the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA).

Pal has contested the sanction and opted to challenge the notice. However, his appeal to dismiss the charge has been unsuccessful. His lawyer, Parth Goswami, who also serves as the secretary of the Delhi State Athletics Association, argued that the AAF was based on an investigation that did not meet the necessary standards outlined by WADA's technical letter (TL26) and international result management protocols.

In response, NADA stated that since Pal adheres to a strict vegetarian diet, there was no need to explore the possibility of contamination.