'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
India’s top track star MR Poovamma has been suspended for three months by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) following an anti-doping violation at the 2021 Indian Grand Prix held in Patiala on February 18, a source familiar with the development told Sportskeeda on Wednesday.
The 32-year-old 400m runner from Karnataka, a multiple medal winner at the Asian Championships and Asian Games, tested positive for methylhexaneamine (MHA). Methylhexaneamine, banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in 2009, is mostly found in dietary supplements.
The three-month suspension is expected to end in August and has jeopardized Poovamma’s chances of competing at the Eugene World Athletics Championships, starting July 15 in Oregon, USA. She was one of several Indian athletes who qualified for the Eugene World Championships.
The Arjuna awardee started her 2022 season with the Indian Grand Prix meet in Kerala, where she clocked a sub-53 seconds for the 400m race, but pulled out of the National Inter-state Athletics Championships held in Chennai from June 10-14 because of the suspension. The Chennai competition was the last chance for Poovamma to qualify for the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, starting July 28.
The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has zero tolerance for doping and those in the national camp are subject to regular dope tests. Poovamma has been attending national coaching camps for over a decade and was a key member of India’s 4x400m relay squad at the 2014 and 2018 Asian Games.
During her decade-old athletics career, Poovama’s personal best in 400m was 51.73 seconds, clocked on her way to a bronze medal at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games. She has also won as many as four individual medals at the Asian Championships.
“The star Karnataka sprinter will certainly miss the World Athletics Championships this year, but could make a comeback for the 2023 Asian Games after serving her three months suspension,” a national-level coach told Sportskeeda on Wednesday.
