Inderjeet Singh, India's Olympic bound shot putter, fails dope test

New Delhi: Just a few days after wrestler Narsingh Yadav was caught for doping, another Rio Olympics qualified athlete Inderjeet Singh, a shot putter, has failed a dope test as his ‘A’ sample returned positive for a banned substance.

28-year-old Inderjeet, the reigning Asian Champion, tested positive for a banned steroid and he has been informed by National Anti-Doping Agency. His out-of-competition test was done on 22 June, sources told PTI.

The NADA has asked the Haryana athlete, who had won a silver in the 2014 Asian Games, if he wants to test his ‘B’ sample and if so, to do this within seven days.

If the ‘B’ sample also tests positive, he will have to miss Rio Olympics beginning 5 August, besides facing the prospect of being banned for four years under the new WADA Code.

Inderjeet is one of those athletes who does not train at the national camps. He normally trains on his own with his personal coach.

He is one of the first track and field athletes who qualified for the Rio Olympics as he made the cut last year itself. He had a training stint earlier this year in the United States under funding of the Sports Ministry’s Target Olympic Podium (TOP) Scheme.