India's discus thrower Kamalpreet Kaur has been banned for three years. She was slammed with suspension on Wednesday for using a prohibited substance.
The ban means all of her results on and since March 7, 2022, will stand null and void.
The 26-year-old is the first Indian woman to breach the 65m in the discus throw. Kaur set a national record in the discus throw with an attempt of 65.06 m. She extended her record to 66.59m at the 2021 Indian Grand Prix-4.
Kaur's best performance in the discus throw came when she finished sixth at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Kamalpreet was handed a provisional suspension in May this year after testing positive for the steroid, which was found in her sample that AIU collected at Patiala on March 7.
Stanozolol is classified as an anabolic steroid and is in the list of banned substances as per World Athletics.
"The AIU has banned Kamalpreet Kaur of India for 3 years for the Presence/Use of a Prohibited Substance (stanozolol), starting from 29 March 2022. DQ results from 7 March 2022," the AIU said in a statement.
Kamalpreet had refused the analysis of her B sample.
"On 11 April 2022, the Athlete confirmed that she would not request the B Sample analysis or the A Sample and/or B Sample Laboratory Documentation Packages ("LDPs") unless she was assisted with the related costs," the AIU said.
The 26-year-old had four supplements analysed in a private laboratory and "traces of steroid" were found in one protein supplement.
She was allowed to have that protein supplement tested at the National Dope Testing Laboratory in New Delhi which also reported the finding of Stanozolol in it.
She was then called for an interview, where Kamalpreet said that she used the protein supplement "five days per week, on training days, from around 10-15 February 2022 until and including 2 days before the doping control."
However, there was no explanation regarding how she got the supplements.
The AIU then issued the Athlete with a Notice of Charge on September 7.
Kamalpreet, however, admitted to the violation and agreed to the proposed sanction within 20 days of receiving a notice from the AIU, her sentence was reduced from four years to three.
(Inputs from PTI)
