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Star weightlifter K Sanjita Chanu fails dope test

She can get a four-year suspension if the disciplinary panel found her guilty

Sanjita was handed a provisional suspension by the IWF after testing positive (File) Weightlifter K Sanjita Chanu

Sanjita Chanu, India’s star weightlifter and two-time Commonwealth Games gold-medalist, has repotedly failed a dope test and has been provisionally suspended.

The Manipur lifter finished second by lifting 187 kg at the National Games in 49kg held on September 30, and her sample was taken on the same day. She has been tested positive for the presence of Drostanolone Metabolite, an anabolic androgenic steroid and can get a four-year suspension if the anti-doping disciplinary panel (ADDP) of the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) found her guilty. In additon to that she would lose her National Games silver medal. 

Chanu won the gold medals at the 2014 Glasgow and the 2018 Gold Coast events in the women's 48 kg and 53 kg weight category respectively. 

Sanjita, whose dope-positive report was received last week, figured among other weightlifters namely, Veerjeet Kaur, Poorani Sri and Ashish, who also failed the dope test. National Anti-Doping Agency has aded 20 new names to list, who were provisionally suspended since January 2022. 

Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF) chief Sahdev Yadav said that a lot of weightlifters refuse to join national camps in order to dope-up before domestic tournaments.

In 2018, Sanjita had failed a dope test for testosterone and was provisionally suspended from May 15, 2018 to January 22, 2019. However, she was cleared of charges by the IWF  in January 2019 due to "certain non-conformities". Sanjita had alleged a ‘conspiracy’ behind that offence. Becase of the pending case she was refused Arjuna Award. 

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