Significant Sanctions in Indian Athletics: Life Ban and Suspensions for Doping Violations

The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) has announced significant sanctions in Indian athletics, including a life ban for coach Rakesh Kumar and provisional suspensions for several athletes, including sprinter Prakruthi Roopa Rao and weightlifter Chelsi. The crackdown follows a series of doping violations, highlighting ongoing issues within the sport. A powerlifter's company was also implicated in trafficking banned substances, leading to extensive seizures of anabolic steroids. This article delves into the details of these sanctions and their implications for Indian athletics.

By Narendra Chaudhary Sep 17, 2026, 00:09 IST

Major Doping Sanctions Announced

Athletics coach Rakesh Kumar has received a lifetime ban for his involvement in administering banned substances, while powerlifter Gaurav Vats faces provisional suspension due to possession and trafficking of illegal drugs, according to the latest sanctions from the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) released on Wednesday.

Rakesh's suspension, which began in March of last year, is now officially recognized with this life ban.

Prakruthi Roopa Rao, a sprinter who won bronze at the National Inter-State Championships, has also been provisionally suspended after testing positive for the prohibited steroids Stanozolol and Drostanolone.

In another significant case, weightlifter Chelsi, who secured a gold medal at the Khelo India Games, has been handed a five-year ban for failing a doping test.

Additionally, a minor weightlifter has been provisionally suspended after testing positive for Oxandrolone.

Other athletes facing suspension include quartermiler Kaushal Kumar, steeplechaser Jujhar Singh, and long-distance runner Baljeet Kaur, highlighting the ongoing doping issues within Indian athletics.

In total, seven athletes from the athletics community are currently provisionally suspended.

Powerlifter Vats, whose nutritional supplements business was implicated in a crackdown on banned substances, is also among those facing sanctions from NADA.

In April, a tip-off from NADA's Intelligence & Investigations unit led to the seizure of numerous prohibited substances, including anabolic steroids like methenolone and stanozolol, at Vats' company in Najafgarh, following a coordinated operation with local police.

This joint task force, which included Central Food Safety Officers and officials from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), recovered around 2,800 capsules and tablets, along with 11 injectable units of banned substances.

The haul included anabolic steroids such as Methenolone Enanthate, Trenbolone, and Stanozolol, all of which are prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) due to their potential for misuse in enhancing athletic performance.

Among the recovered items were also injections of Adenosine Monophosphate, a banned hormone and metabolic modulator known to improve endurance.