Former Asian Games gold medallist Seema Punia has been handed a 16-month ban after failing a dope test, according to the Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel. The suspension is effective from November 10, though NADA has not revealed the banned substance.
This is the third doping-related offence in Punia’s long athletics career, which spans over two decades and includes four Olympic appearances and multiple Commonwealth and Asian Games medals. Punia, who last competed at the Hangzhou Asian Games 2023, had aimed to retire after the Paris 2024 Olympics but failed to qualify.
Alongside her suspension, several other Indian athletes—including distance runner Pooja Yadav and shot putter Manjeet Kumar—have also received long bans, highlighting continuing doping challenges in Indian athletics.
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