Shockwaves in Indian Sports: Cricketer Rajan Kumar Faces Doping Suspension

Rajan Kumar, a left-arm pacer from Uttarakhand, failed a dope test and received a provisional suspension from NADA. His sample contained anabolic steroids, highlighting a rare doping case in cricket. Other athletes, including footballer Ratanbala Devi and sprinter Dhanalakshmi Sekar, also face bans for similar offenses.

In a rare instance of doping within cricket, Uttarakhand's left-arm pacer, Rajan Kumar, has been provisionally suspended by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) after testing positive for anabolic steroids. Kumar's sample revealed the presence of Drostanolone and Metenolone, along with Clomifene, a drug used to treat infertility in women but known to restore testosterone levels in men.

Kumar recently participated in Uttarakhand's Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Group D match against Delhi. While doping cases in cricket are uncommon, precedent instances include all-rounder Anshula Rao in 2020 and cricketer Prithvi Shaw in 2019. Other athletes who have recently been flagged for doping include footballer Ratanbala Devi, whose sample tested positive for the steroid Metandienone.

The list of athletes facing doping suspensions goes beyond cricket, affecting sports such as athletics, weightlifting, boxing, and polo. Particularly notable is Tamil Nadu sprinter Dhanalakshmi Sekar, who has been handed an eight-year ban following her second doping offense, having previously returned to competition in 2025 after a three-year ban.

(With inputs from agencies.)