Incheon Asian Games bronze medallist Manju Bala has been handed a five-year ban by the Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel (ADDP) of the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) after testing positive for multiple prohibited substances earlier this year.
The seasoned hammer thrower, who clinched bronze at the 2014 Asian Games, tested positive for dehydrochloromethyl-testosterone (a steroid) and SARMS LGD-4033 (Ligandrol), both banned performance-enhancing drugs.
Her doping violation came to light in September 2024, and her suspension will be effective from July 10, 2024, as per the ADDP’s ruling issued on October 15.
The 35-year-old’s fall from grace marks another major blow to Indian athletics, coming a decade after her medal-winning feat in Incheon, where she had been one of India’s standout performers in field events.
Series of Bans Across Sports
Alongside Bala, several Indian athletes and sportspersons were sanctioned by the ADDP in its latest disciplinary rulings.
Mohan Saini received a four-year ban, starting October 14, 2025.
Three bodybuilders — Gopala Krishnan, Amit Kumar, and Rajvardhan Sanjay Waskar — were each banned for six years.
Another bodybuilder, Shubham Mahara, was handed a four-year suspension.
Boxer Sumit received a two-year ban, while canoeist Nitin Verma and basketball player Shivendra Pandey were suspended for four and six years, respectively.
Meanwhile, the Anti-Doping Appeal Panel upheld the ADDP’s earlier decision to ban sprinter Himani Chandel for four years, reinforcing NADA’s zero-tolerance stance on doping violations.
The string of suspensions highlights NADA’s ongoing crackdown on doping in Indian sport, with the agency reiterating its commitment to maintaining clean competition and enforcing global anti-doping standards.
(with PTI inputs)
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