NADA Imposes Four-Year Ban on Sprinter Dutee Chand for Doping

On August 17, 2023, the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) imposed a four-year suspension on the Indian sprinter Dutee Chand for violating the Agency’s Anti-Doping Regulations, 2021.

Earlier, Ms. Chand was provisionally suspended as the results of an out-of-competition dope test administered in Bhubaneshwar on December 5, 2022, came back positive. The sprinter’s sample tested positive for three Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (SARMs): Andarin, Ligandrol, and Enobosarm. These substances form part of the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) prohibited list.

The Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel observed that the athlete failed to establish that the anti-doping rule violation was unintentional. This conclusion was arrived at after noting that the athlete consumed medicines prescribed by her physiotherapist instead of consulting a physician, failed to check the medicines’ labels and didn’t match the medicines’ content against WADA’s prohibited list. With this, a sanction of a four-year suspension was imposed on Ms. Chand in accordance with article 10.2.1.1 of the Agency’s Anti-Doping Regulations, 2021 to be operative w.e.f. January 3, 2023 (i.e., the date on which she was provisionally suspended).

Reportedly, the athlete is set to contest the Panel’s decision, which may be challenged before the Anti-Doping Appeal Panel within three weeks from the date of receipt of the decision.