Olympian javelin thrower Shivpal fails dope test, stares at maximum 8-year ban
New Delhi, May 20 (PTI): Olympian javelin thrower Shivpal Singh has failed a dope test for the second time in his career, a development which may see him being banned for a maximum period of eight years if found guilty.
The 29-year-old, who competed at the Tokyo Olympics, is learnt to have returned positive for a banned substance when his urine sample taken out of competition earlier this year was tested. He was training at the NIS Patiala then.
He has been provisionally suspended by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA).
"Yes, he has tested positive for a banned substance. It's his second dope offence," a source privy to the development told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
If proven guilty and handed a lengthy ban, Shivpal's career will be as good as over.
Under the NADA and WADA rules, an athlete can be banned for a maximum eight years for a second doping offence.
Shivpal's best achievement in his career is the silver medal he had won at the 2019 Asian Championships in Doha, where he had thrown his personal best of 86.23m.
Earlier in 2021, Shivpal's dope sample had tested positive for a steroid in an out-of-competition test. The Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel of NADA, in August 2022, had handed him a four-year ban beginning from 2021, holding him guilty of committing a doping offence.
He was to serve the ban till 2025 but was able to argue successfully before the Appeal Panel of the NADA that "contaminated supplements" were behind his flunked dope test.
The Appeal Panel, in January 2023, accepted his contention and reduced the ban period from four years to just one.
He returned to action in April 2023 and won a bronze at the National Inter-State Championships in Bhubaneswar in June that year. He also won gold in the 2023 National Games in Goa.
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India moving towards becoming global economic powerhouse: Kovind
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Amritsar (PTI): Former president Ram Nath Kovind on Friday said that with digital transformation, economic reforms and a strong focus on the ease of doing business, India is moving towards becoming a global economic powerhouse.
He was speaking after inaugurating the 19th edition of the Punjab International Trade Expo (PITEX) in Amritsar.
The former president said that this 19th edition of PITEX is being organised at a time when India is recognised as one of the fastest-growing large economies in the world.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the event organised by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) the former president, while referring to Punjab, said the state is a living example of courage, sacrifice and enterprise.
"The spiritual light of Sri Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) inspires peace and humanity across the world. The heritage of Punjab is deep and inspiring," Kovind said, according to a statement issued by the PITEX.
The former president congratulated the PHDCCI for hosting the 19th edition of PITEX and suggested that the chamber should expand PITEX outside Punjab.
He proposed that a similar event should also be held in New Delhi.
