In a major blow to Indian sports culture, over 20 athletes failed dope tests at the Goa National Games 2023 held in October-November. The 37th edition of India's biggest multi-sport tournament was held in Goa where Maharashtra claimed victory with record-breaking 228 medals.
According to a report from PTI, the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) has handed provisional suspension to the majority of guilty athletes. Nine track and field athletes and seven weightlifters are among the sportspersons to fail the doping test. Many of the accused have won the medals at the National Games and some of them are international-level players.
Commonwealth Games medalist Vandana Gupta of Uttar Pradesh and Manipur's Cyclist Anita Devi are among the high-profile names to fail the dope test, according to a PTI report. Anita Devi was part of the Manipur women's team that won the gold medal in the 4km race. She has been handed a provisional suspension after a finding of banned drug 19-Norandrosterone, an anabolic androgenic steroid, in her urine samples.
"Yes, seven weightlifters have failed dope tests during the Goa National Games and there could be more in the coming days," a source from the Indian Weightlifting Federation told PTI.
This is the first time in National Games history that over 20 players failed dope tests. Ten athletes were found guilty in the previous 2022 edition in Gujarat and recorded 16 during the 2015 edition in Kerala.
Maharashtra continent dominated the 37th edition of the National Sports with a record-staggering 228 medals, including 80 golds to claim the prestigious Raja Bhalindra Singh Trophy in Goa. Former champions Services Sports Control Board finished second with 66 golds while Haryana bagged 62 to clinch the last spot on the podium.
