Asian Gold Medalist Faces Two-Year Ban for Violating Anti-Doping Rules

MR Poovamma, the Asian Games gold medalist, has been banned for two years by the anti-doping appeals panel. The Arjuna Award winner tested positive for stimulant methylhexanamine, a banned substance under the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Code.

The Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel had handed her a three-month suspension; however, on the National Anti-Doping Agency’s (NADA) appeal, the panel extended her ban to two years and set aside the 3-month suspension order.

The sanction was imposed under Article 10.2.2, “Ineligibility for presence, use, or attempted use of, or possession of, a prohibited substance or prohibited method” of the WADA code. Additionally, she also faces disqualification from all competitive results since her sample was collected on February 19, 2022.

She will also have to forfeit her medals, points, and prizes earned during this period for violating the anti-doping rules, as mentioned under Article 10.10 of the WADA Code.