An Indian male long jumper has been banned for two years, while six female athletes were suspended for a year each, after they all failed drug tests.
Long jumper Harikrishnan Muralidharan was banned by the India’s National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) on 23rd December last year.
The bans imposed on the women were announced on 29th December.
Three of the women participated in the 2010 Commonwealth and won gold in the Asian Games 4x400m relay.
There has been suggestion that the women consumed food supplements, which may have caused them to test positive.
The results led to suspension in July and the dismissal ofIndia’s Ulkrainian track and field coach Yuri Ogorodnik.
Mandeep Kaur Sini Jose and Askwini Akkunji were all in the relay and joining them in the one year ban are Jauna Murmu, Proyanka Panwar and Tiana Mary Thomas.
The bans are said to leave the women with little chance of entering this year’s Olympic Games inLondon.
