Wrestler Ravinder Kumar banned for four years for doping

Wrestler Ravinder Kumar, who won a silver medal in the Under-23 World Championship last year, has been found guilty of consuming banned drugs for which he has been banned for four years. His medal won at the World Championships can also be snuffed out due to the same reason as NADA’s Anti-Doping Discipline Panel has directed Ravinder’s results to be removed in all competitions in which the wrestler participated after the sample was collected.

It is to be noted that Ravinder’s sample was taken during the 67th All India Police Wrestling Championship in Jaipur in February March last year. He was temporarily suspended by NADA from 14 May last year now he has been banned for four years from this date.

NADA issued a statement which said, “ Ravinder’s sample analysis revealed presence of 19-Norandrosterone (Metabolite of Nandrolone) at a concentration greater than 15 ng/ml, Buprenorphine & its metabolite Norbuprenorphine, Narcotic Mephentermine & its metabolite Phentermine, and Stimulant Heptaminol which is enlisted under category S6 and is non-specified substance as per the WADA Prohibited List of 2019.”

NADA has also clarified that the grappler has decided not to get his sample B tested and has urged NADA to give him some more time to file his defence saying that he had used the medicine for the purpose of treatment. The NADA has also confirmed that even after giving sufficient time to the wrestler he did not appear at the oral hearing conducted on December 3 last year.

NADA also confirmed that an additional seven days was given to Ravinder to present his case in an ex-parte hearing, but he once again chose not to appear for the hearing or present any document in his defense following which Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel decided to ban Ravinder Kumar for a period of 4 years from his date of provisional suspension (14th May 2019).

The NADA statement also clarified that as per Rule 10.08 the competitive results obtained by Ravinder from the date of his sample collection should be considered null and void resulting in forfeiture of medals, points, and prizes.