NADA Suspends Coach Ramesh Nagpuri and Seven Athletes in Doping Scandal
Indian athletics faced a major setback as the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) suspended junior national team chief coach Ramesh Nagpuri for helping athletes dodge doping tests. Alongside him, seven young athletes were also banned for avoiding these tests. This news has sent shockwaves through the sports community, raising questions about fair play in Indian athletics, even as cricket stars like Rohit Sharma dominate the IPL spotlight.
Ramesh Nagpuri, a well-known coach based at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) Centre in Hyderabad, was appointed junior chief coach by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) in 2023. He is a Dronacharya Award winner, a prestigious honor for coaches in India. However, NADA suspended him under Article 2.9 of its 2021 Anti-Doping Rules, which covers “complicity” in doping violations. This means he allegedly helped athletes avoid testing, a serious offense. Sources say Nagpuri assisted two athletes in escaping dope collection officers (DCOs) at the SAI Hyderabad Centre.
Additionally, two other coaches, Karamveer Singh and Rakesh, were suspended. Karamveer faced charges similar to Nagpuri’s, while Rakesh was banned for giving athletes banned substances, violating Article 2.8 of NADA’s rules. When asked about the suspension, Nagpuri refused to comment, saying, “I don’t want to comment on this. I have been serving Indian athletics to the best of my abilities.” AFI officials also stayed silent, stating that NADA is handling the matter.
A slew of dope cases has rocked Indian athletics, with junior national team chief coach Ramesh Nagpuri suspended by the NADA for “complicity” in doping while seven athletes are also in dock for “evading” tests#Doping | Read ⬇️https://t.co/lwXqvso2B6 pic.twitter.com/AVzDCYyjPn
— Sportstar (@sportstarweb) April 20, 2025
Seven Athletes Suspended
The seven athletes banned for “evading” dope tests are Paras Singhal, Pooja Rani, Nalubothu Shanmuga Sreenivas, Chelimi Pratusha, Shubham Mahara, Kiran, and Jyoti. They were charged under Article 2.3, which penalizes athletes for refusing or failing to provide samples without a valid reason. Among them, 19-year-old Singhal won the boys’ 2,000m steeplechase at the Khelo India Youth Games in 2024, while Sreenivas earned silver medals in the 200m at the Federation Cup, National Inter-State Championships, and National Open in 2024. Their suspensions are a major loss for Indian athletics.
Not the First Time
This isn’t the first doping scandal in Indian athletics. In 2022, coach Mickey Menezes from Mumbai was banned for four years and fined Rs 50,000 for injecting a banned substance, Drostanolone, into his athlete Kirti Bhoite, who received a two-year ban. These repeated incidents show that doping remains a big problem, casting a shadow over the sport’s integrity.
AFI’s Efforts to Fight Doping
To tackle the growing doping issue, the AFI has taken steps to clean up the sport. In January 2025, during its Annual General Body Meeting in Chandigarh, the AFI made it mandatory for all coaches, whether qualified or not, to register on its portal. Coaches who fail to register will be blacklisted, meaning they can’t train athletes for AFI competitions. However, many coaches have been reluctant to sign up, raising concerns about their involvement in doping.
Moreover, the AFI formed an anti-doping cell to identify coaches linked to doping and pinpoint training centers that might be hiding violators. A high-powered committee, led by Delhi Police Special Cell Commissioner Sagarpreet Hooda, has made recommendations to address the issue. The AFI plans to share this information with NADA and the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) of World Athletics to strengthen anti-doping efforts.
What’s Next for Indian Athletics?
Nagpuri’s suspension is particularly shocking because of his reputation. He has coached top athletes like Dutee Chand, the women’s 100m national record holder, and Deepthi Jeevanji, a 2024 Paralympics bronze medalist and world champion in the 400m category. His involvement in doping raises questions about how deep the problem runs in Indian athletics.
