Indian athletics has been hit with yet another doping scandal as Summy, a promising 21-year-old quarter-miler, has reportedly tested positive for a banned substance. Born in Haryana and representing the Services in national tournaments, Summy has been a rising star in the 400m event, particularly as part of India’s 4x400m relay teams.
Her personal best of 53.18 seconds, achieved during the heats of the National Federation Athletics Meet in Bhubaneswar earlier this year, and her subsequent silver medal performance with a timing of 53.46 seconds, were significant highlights of her season.
Summy also gained recognition as part of India’s 4x400m mixed relay team alongside Kapil, Priya Mohan, and Barath Sridhar, which clinched a bronze medal at the World Athletics U-20 Championships in 2021.
According to sources, the test was conducted out-of-competition in Pune a few weeks ago, although the exact substance involved is not confirmed.
Initial reports suggest that the banned substance found in her sample may be similar to clomiphene, the drug for which VK Vismaya, another prominent Indian quarter-miler, recently tested positive. This development adds to the growing concern surrounding doping violations in Indian athletics.
The doping case of VK Vismaya
The news of Summy’s positive test comes just days after VK Vismaya, an Asian Games gold medalist, was embroiled in a doping controversy. The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) revealed that Vismaya tested positive for clomiphene, a selective estrogen receptor modulator, during an out-of-competition test conducted on August 24, 2024, in Kannur.
Clomiphene is primarily used in female fertility treatments but is prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) at all times due to its anti-estrogenic properties.
Vismaya, who played a pivotal role in India’s gold medal-winning 4x400m women’s relay at the 2018 Asian Games, admitted to the doping violation and accepted a provisional suspension.
The back-to-back doping scandals involving two of India’s quartermilers highlight a worrying trend in the sport and measures should be taken soon to resolve them.