Indian hammer thrower Rachna Kumari receives 12-year ban for doping violations

Indian hammer thrower Rachna Kumari received a 12-year ban from the international federation's Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) on Tuesday due to multiple failed dope tests. The 30-year-old athlete's out-of-competition sample revealed the presence of steroids including Stanozolol, Metandienone, Dehydrochloromethyltestosterone (DHCMT), and Clenbuterol.

"The AIU has banned Kumari (K.M.) Rachna (India) for 12 years from 24 November, 2023 for the Presence/Use of a Prohibited Substance (Stanozolol, Metandienone, DHCMT, Clenbuterol). DQ results from 24 September 2023," the AIU posted on X.

The athlete's results have been disqualified retroactively from September 24, 2023, leading to the forfeiture of any titles, awards, medals, points, prizes, and appearance money. This marks Kumari's second anti-doping rule violation.

AIU said Kumari had "served a four-year ban from March 18, 2015 to March 17, 2019 for committing an Anti-Doping Rule Violation of the IAAF Anti-Doping Rules in relation to the presence of Metenolone in a Sample collected on February 10, 2015."

Kumari participated as a member of the 68-member Indian athletics team at the Hangzhou Asian Games from September 23 to October 8. In the women’s hammer throw event on September 29, she secured the ninth position with an effort of 58.13m.

Earlier, Kumari achieved gold in the National Inter-State Championships held in Bhubaneswar in June, recording a throw of 65.03m. Additionally, she clinched a bronze medal at the recent Goa National Games with a throw of 59.85m. Despite her domestic successes, Kumari has yet to secure any international medals.

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• Rachna Kumari
• Athletics