The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) provisionally suspended eighteen-year-old Sanjana Singh and her coach, Sandeep Mann, in a rare case of simultaneous sanction on both athlete and mentor.
Sanjana, who won gold medals in the women’s 1500m and 5000m races at the SAAF Senior Athletics Championships in Ranchi this October, tested positive for two steroids — methandienone and oxandrolone.
Sanjana, who turns 19 on December 23, now faces suspension for the doping offence. NADA also listed her coach, Sandeep, identified as her trainer in Rohtak, Haryana, for “trafficking or attempted trafficking of prohibited substances.” The case highlights the growing concern over doping practices involving both athletes and their support staff.
The crackdown extended beyond Sanjana and Sandeep. Middle-distance runner Himanshu Rathi received a provisional suspension after testing positive for the stimulant mephentermine. Triple jumper Sheena Varkey, 33, accepted a three-year suspension for a Ligandrol (SARM) violation under a case resolution agreement. Sheena had recently won silver at the Uttarakhand National Games.
Meanwhile, Basanti Kumari, a distance runner who competed in the 2025 World University Games marathon, tested positive for 19-norandrosterone. In another case, weightlifter Sankar Logeswaran, who clinched gold at the Khelo India University Games, was provisionally suspended after testing positive for Drostanolone, a banned steroid.
NADA’s latest update underscores its intensified monitoring and enforcement against doping violations. The suspensions serve as a reminder of the agency’s commitment to ensuring fair play and protecting the integrity of Indian sports.
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