New Delhi: A member of the Commonwealth Games-bound women's 4x100m relay team has tested positive for banned substances in tests conducted by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) just days ahead of the multinational event in Birmingham, United Kingdom, PTI reported. The athlete will be withdrawn from the Indian squad after positive results. The name of the dope offender who returned with positive tests is yet to be revealed.
"A member of the relay team bound for CWG has tested positive and she will be withdrawn," a top source told PTI without elaborating.
This comes as a major setback for India as less than a week ago, CWG-bound sprinter Dhanalakshmi, who was also part of the 4x100m women's relay team, and triple jumper Aishwarya Babu returned with positive tests each for banned drugs after which they were banned from the Indian team.
A 37-member Indian athletics squad announced by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) for CWG 2022 included Dutee Chand, Hima Das, Srabani Nanda, NS Simi, Sekar Dhanalakshmi, and MV Jilna. However, Jilna had to withdraw her name from the squad after the Indian Olympic Association was allocated a quota of just 36 athletes. She was later named as the replacement of Dhanalakshmi after she failed dope tests.
After the latest dope flunk, just four members are left in the women's 4x100m relay squad and the team's performance will be seriously affected if any of these four athletes get injured as somebody from other track events may have to be roped in.
Meanwhile, as per a PTI report, para discus thrower Aneesh Kumar and para powerlifter Geeta have also tested positive for banned substances.