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Doping issue has clouded the track and field event at the Khelo India Youth Games 2022 being held in Bhopal. Promising Rajasthan hammer thrower Narpat Singh, who was leading the field, quit the competition without informing technical officials of the throwing competition and was later disqualified, Stanley Jones, chairman of the Technical Committee of the Athletics Federation (AFI), said.
Narpat Singh’s best throw of 70.98m was good for a gold medal as other competitors in the field couldn’t cross 70m.
“Competitors can’t leave the field without the permission of the technical official conducting the competition,” Stanley Jones told Sportskeeda. “Since he quit the field without permission, he was disqualified as per rules.”
Another official from the AFI said he was later untraceable and failed to report for a dope test.
The controversial Rajasthan thrower was amongst 11 promising athletes shortlisted for the Khelo India Youth Games on the basis of his national ranking in hammer throw.
At the hammer-throwing arena on Friday, the Rajasthan athlete was leading the field after his third throw of 70.98m. His first attempt was a foul, while he recorded 64.53m in his second attempt. Singh's fourth and fifth attempts were no throws. He didn’t take the field in the sixth attempt.
Haryana's Prateek, with a throw of 69.19m, won the gold, while Mohd Aman of Uttar Pradesh took home silver with a throw of 67.67m. Punjab’s Gurveer Singh won bronze with a throw of 65.43m.
Narpat Singh has been competing in the age-group national-level competitions, but was allegedly warned for manipulating his age in the past.
“He was let off the hook as he pleaded not guilty to manipulating his date of birth,” an official from the AFI medical team said.
Delhi’s Shailabh won gold in the men’s 1500m, while Asha Kiran Barla was the winner of the gold in the women’s 1500m event on the opening day.
Host Madhya Pradesh won gold in the men’s high jump through Aaditya Raghuvanshi for his efforts of 2.01m. Madhya Pradesh's second gold on Friday came in the men’s pole vault when Dev Kumar Meena crossed the 4.91m to win the yellow metal.
