Asian Games medalist shot putter Kiran Baliyan has been provisionally suspended by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) for testing positive for a banned substance.
A slew of athletes across sports figured in the latest list of dope offenders.
Surprisingly, Olympic medallist Bajrang Punia’s name is missing from the latest update though he figured in a previous list issued by the NADA recently.
Bajrang Punia was suspended for a second time, three weeks after its Anti-Disciplinary Doping Panel (ADDP) had revoked his suspension because he had not served a “notice of charge” by the national body.
Kiran Baliyan became only the second Indian to win a medal in women’s shot put in the Asian Games last year. She returned positive for methandienone, an anabolic androgenic steroid banned at all times.
She had won gold at the 2023 National Inter-State Championships and a silver in the 2024 Federation Cup. She stares at a maximum ban period of four years if she is proven guilty.
Another Asian Games medalist Hammer Thrower Manju Bala was also on the list for testing positive for steroids.
Other top Indian track and field athletes like javelin thrower D P Manu, quarter-miler Deepanshi, and middle-distance runner Parvej Khan have been serving provisional suspensions.
Badminton makes a rare entry with doubles player Krishna Prasad Garaga, a member of the Indian team that won gold in the 2022 Thomas Cup, testing positive for Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG).