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It’s official. India’s star gymnast Dipa Karmakar has been suspended for testing positive for higenamine, a prohibited substance, for 21 months by the world governing body in gymnastics (FIG).
Dipa rose to prominence when she finished fourth at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games in the women’s vault.
The International Testing Agency (ITA) conducted an out-of-competition test on behalf of FIG and confirmed on Friday that Dipa’s out-of-competition test conducted on October 11, 2021, was positive.
“The ITA reports that the Indian gymnast Dipa Karmakar has been sanctioned with a 21 month period of ineligibility after testing positive for the prohibited substance higenamine,” the ITA said in a statement on its website.
Dipa’s suspension starts from the date of sample collection (October 11, 2021) and remains until July 10, 2023.
The day after ITA announced Dipa’s positive test for a prohibited substance, Tripura’s international gymnasts took to the social media platform to express her satisfaction that the long pending case has been resolved.
Dipa Karmakar reacts to ban
Since Dipa admitted to an anti-doping violation, her ban was reduced to three months instead of 24 months.
“I am happy that the matter has been amicably resolved. My suspension has been reduced by three months and back dated by 25 months, allowing me to return to the sport in love,” Dipa said in a statement on the social media platform.
Dipa stated that she unknowingly ingested the prohibited substance and couldn’t determine the source. Dipa pulled out of domestic trials for Japan's 2021 World Gymnastics Championships.
Post the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, Dipa couldn’t perform up to expectations and struggled with injuries. She failed to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games held in Japan in 2021.
The Tripura gymnast first came to the limelight when she became the first Indian female gymnast to win a bronze medal at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
