AIU bans sprinter Dhanalakshmi for three years

Indian sprinter Dhanalakshmi Sekar who was dropped from the World Championships and Commonwealth Games after failing a dope test, has been handed a three-year suspension by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) for failing an out-of-competition dope test.

The 24-year-old’s sample was collected by the AIU, an independent body of the World Athletics that deals with integrity issues, on May 1 in Antalya, Turkey, where the Indian team was training. According to an AIU report, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) accredited laboratory in Lausanne reported an adverse analytical finding in the sample for the presence of metandienone, a prohibited substance under the category ‘Anabolic Androgenic Steroids.’

On July 11, AIU notified Dhanalakshmi of the positive test following which she admitted to doping, leading to a reduced sanction. As per the WADA code, the period of ineligibility to be imposed in such cases is four years.

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“On 19 July 2022, the Athlete returned the Admission of Anti-Doping Rule Violation and Acceptance of Consequences Form signed. The Athlete shall therefore receive a one (1) year reduction in the asserted period of Ineligibility pursuant to Rule 10.8.1 based on an early admission and acceptance of sanction,” AIU said.

The Tamil Nadu sprinter was subsequently left out of the Eugene and Birmingham squads. She was India’s best sprinter this season in 100m and 200m. She clocked a personal best of 22.89 secs in the 200m in Almaty in June and 11.26s in 100m in an international competition in Turkey. After her impressive performances, she made the cut for the World Championships on world rankings.

Dhanalakshmi, who has been training in the national camp at the Thiruvananthapuram SAI centre, was also a reserve member of India’s relay squad at the Tokyo Olympics last year.

A spate of doping cases have hit Indian athletics this season. After Dhanalakshmi, sprinter MV Jilna, who replaced her in the relay squad for CWG, also failed a dope test, leaving only four members to travel to Birmingham.

Jumper Aishwarya Babu, who broke Mayookha Johny’s 11-year-old national record in the triple jump with a leap of 14.14m at the Inter-State Nationals in Chennai, also tested positive.

Donald Makimairaj tests positive

The AIU also reported the positive dope test of Tamil Nadu triple jumper Donald Makimairaj, who came into limelight after a surprise fourth place finish in last year’s under-20 World Championships in Nairobi. He failed a dope test during the junior nationals at Sangrur, Punjab on August 2, 2021.

The AIU said he has been banned for four years and all his results from August 2, 2021, will be annulled. It also includes the fourth place at the Under-20 Worlds in Nairobi, held from Aug 18-22.

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