Tragic Loss: Asian Para Games Star Neeraj Yadav Passes Away

Neeraj Yadav's Untimely Demise

New Delhi: Neeraj Yadav, a gold medalist at the Asian Para Games, has reportedly taken his own life by ingesting poison at his home. A postmortem is currently being conducted at a hospital in Delhi.

S Satyanarayana, the head coach of the Indian para-athletics team, confirmed the heartbreaking news, stating that he was informed of the incident, but Yadav's body remains at the hospital.

"It is truly tragic that Neeraj has died by suicide," Satyanarayana expressed.

Sources indicate that the athlete consumed poison.

At 42 years old, Yadav, who participated in the F55 category, was said to be experiencing emotional turmoil after being unable to compete in the Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya earlier this month due to a doping ban. The exact details surrounding his death are still being investigated.

Satyanarayana remarked, "While I cannot pinpoint the exact cause, I believe athletes should learn to navigate both triumphs and setbacks with grace. It is unfortunate that he felt compelled to take such a drastic step."

Yadav was one of India's prominent para-athletes, having secured three gold medals at the Asian Para Games—one in javelin at the 2018 Jakarta edition and two in javelin and discus at the 2023 Hangzhou games.

Following a report from NADA to WADA, the Asian Paralympic Committee revoked the two gold medals he earned at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Para Games due to a positive test for a banned substance, which also resulted in him losing a government cash reward.

Diagnosed with post-polio residual paralysis at the age of seven, Yadav initially pursued wheelchair tennis before transitioning to para-athletics, where he achieved significant success on the global stage.

He competed in the F55 category, which includes seated field events such as shot put, discus, and javelin.