AFI provisionally suspends Manpreet for second dope offence

Top Indian shot-putter Manpreet Kaur was today suspended provisionally for her second dope offence after she tested positive for a banned steroid, just a couple of days after her first dope flunk.

The 27-year-old Punjab athlete had hurled the shot put to a distance of 18.86m at the Chinese city (which was then the world leading performance) to win the gold and book a berth for World Championships to be held in London from August 4-13. 

Manpreet had also won a gold medal in the recently concluded Asian Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar.

She will now miss the World Championships as the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has suspended her provisionally for her dope offence.

"We have been informed that she (Manpreet) has tested positive for a steroid and stimulant (dimethylbutylamine). She has been handed provisional suspension by the AFI. She will now be dropped from World Championships team," AFI president Adille Sumariwalla told PTI.

The Asian Grand Prix comes under the aegis of the continental governing body, the Asian Athletics Association.

If her 'B' sample also returns positive, Manpreet could face a ban of upto four years for a first time dope offence.

Manpreet's second dope offence came a day after she tested positive for the banned stimulant dimethylbutylamine from her urine sample collected by National Anti-Doping Agency Officials during the Federation Cup National Championships held in Patiala from June 1-4.

It is a massive embarrassment for the country which might lose the gold medal clinched by Manpreet earlier this month in Bhubaneswar.

She was not put under provisional suspension after her first offence as dimethylbutylamine is a specified substance under the WADA Code but India will lose the gold medal she won in Bhubaneswar if her confirmatory urine sample 'B' test also returns positive.

Manpreet had also won a gold in the National Inter-State Championships which concluded at Guntur on July 18.