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Discus Star Punia Banned: Doping Cloud Returns
6 Dec
Summary
- Veteran discus thrower Seema Punia received a 16-month ban.
- This is Punia's third doping violation in her career.
- Her last competition was the Hangzhou Asian Games bronze.
Former Asian Games gold medalist Seema Punia faces a significant setback with a 16-month ban for a doping violation. This sanction, effective November 10, marks her third offense, adding to a previously checkered record. The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) has confirmed the suspension but did not disclose the specific substance.
Punia's most recent outing was the Hangzhou Asian Games in October 2023, where she clinched a bronze medal. Her career, spanning over two decades, has seen her win multiple Commonwealth Games medals and an Asian Games gold in 2014. She had previously expressed intentions to retire after the 2024 Paris Olympics.
In addition to Punia, several other athletes, including Pooja Yadav and Manjeet Kumar, have also received doping bans. Punia's ban underscores the ongoing challenges within anti-doping efforts in Indian athletics.
