Rameshwar Munjal, who had won title in the Navy Half Marathon in Mumbai on December 8 last year, was on Tuesday handed a five-year ban by the Athletics Integrity Unit of World Athletics after he tested positive for prohibited substances.
The 27-year-old had clocked 1 hour, 9 minutes and three seconds to win the IndianOil WNC Navy Half Marathon but he is now stripped of his title as his in-competition urine sample was found to contain Erythropoietin (EPO) and Darbepoetin (dEPO) -- which are prohibited at all times.
His sample was tested at the World Anti-Doping Agency-accredited National Dope Testing Laboratory in New Delhi which reported the Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) on March 12 this year.
The AIU reviewed the AAF and notified the athlete of the adverse result. On Monday, Munjal admitted to the anti-doping rule violation and accepted the consequences.
It was Munjal's first doping offence and under normal circumstances, his maximum ban period would have been four years.
But, the presence of multiple prohibited substances in his urine sample would come under the definition of "aggravating circumstances", which would lead to an increase in the period of ineligibility unless the athlete can establish that he did not knowingly commit the violations.
"The Athlete has failed to establish that he did not knowingly commit the Anti-Doping Rule Violations. Therefore, the period of Ineligibility to be imposed is a period of six (6) years," the AIU said in its ruling.
"However, Rule 10.8.1 ADR provides that an athlete potentially subject to an asserted period of Ineligibility of four (4) years or more may benefit from a one (1)-year reduction in the period of Ineligibility based on an early admission and acceptance of sanction.
Since, Munjal promptly admitted to the anti-doping rule violation, his ban period was reduced by one year, from six to five.
His ban period began from April 14, 2025 (the date of provisional suspension), andhis results disqualified from December 8, 2024 onwards.
Follow us
