Indian para-athlete banned for three years after positive doping test

India's Anmol Vasistha has been handed a three-year ban by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) after testing positive for a prohibited anabolic steroid during the New Delhi World Para Athletics Grand Prix in March this year.

According to an IPC statement, Vasistha returned an adverse analytical finding for a metabolite of dehydrochloromethyl-testosterone (DHCMT) in an in-competition urine sample collected on March 11 during the men's javelin throw F55 event. DHCMT is an anabolic androgenic steroid listed on the World Anti-Doping Agency's 2026 Prohibited List.

Vasistha was provisionally suspended on April 24 while his case was being investigated. He later accepted the anti-doping rule violation (ADRV) and the consequences proposed by the IPC. His three-year period of ineligibility will run from April 24, 2026, to April 23, 2029.

During this period, he will not be allowed to compete or take part in other sporting activities, except for authorised anti-doping education or rehabilitation programmes. The IPC also disqualified Vasistha's results in the men's javelin throw F55 event at the New Delhi Grand Prix, along with all his other results at the competition. He will lose any medals, points and prizes earned at the event.

"The results obtained by the athlete in the men’s javelin throw F55 competition at the New Delhi 2026 World Para Athletics Grand Prix are automatically disqualified, with all resulting consequences, including forfeiture of any medals, points and prizes.

"All other results obtained by the athlete in the New Delhi 2026 World Para Athletics Grand Prix are also disqualified, with all of the resulting consequences, including forfeiture of any medals, points and prizes," said the IPC, as quoted by news agency PTI.

The IPC reiterated that athletes are responsible for any prohibited substances found in their samples, regardless of whether the substance was taken intentionally or unintentionally, or whether negligence or fault was involved. As a signatory to the World Anti-Doping Code, the IPC said it remained committed to maintaining a doping-free sporting environment for athletes.