Olympic hopeful DP Manu faces doping suspension

Indian javelin thrower DP Manu, a rising star with his sights set on the Paris Olympics, has been provisionally suspended by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) after a failed doping test.

Sources confirmed that Manu's positive test occurred during the Indian Grand Prix back in April. This news comes after the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) previously barred him from competitions following NADA's instructions.

The 24-year-old athlete, who secured a silver medal at the 2023 Asian Championships, was considered a strong contender to qualify for the Olympics through the world ranking quota. However, this recent development throws his Olympic dreams into uncertainty.

Manu's initial inclusion on the National Inter-State Championships entry list hinted at his potential participation. However, his name vanished from the updated roster, raising red flags.

While AFI President Adille Sumariwalla confirmed NADA's request to halt Manu's participation, he refrained from explicitly confirming a doping offense.

"There could be something like that," Sumariwalla stated, "but we still don't know the specifics. NADA informed the AFI office yesterday to stop him from competing. We haven't received details on the potential violation. I believe the athlete himself is seeking clarification from NADA."

Manu's recent record showcased promise. He finished second behind Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra in the Federation Cup with a throw of 82.06m. He further secured gold at the Taiwan Athletics Open with a throw of 81.58m.

Ranked 15th globally, Manu was well on track to qualify for the Olympics through the world ranking system. The men's javelin throw event allows 32 athletes, and the qualification deadline falls on June 30th.

With Neeraj Chopra and Kishore Jena already securing automatic qualification by exceeding the 85.50m entry standard, India could have potentially fielded three javelin throwers in Paris. However, Manu's suspension casts a shadow on this possibility.