Asian Games gold medalist VK Vismaya caught in doping scandal, accepts a temporary ban: Reports

India’s renowned quarter-miler and Asian Games gold medalist, VK Vismaya, has been caught in a doping scandal after testing positive for a banned substance during an out-of-competition test conducted by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA). Vismaya, who was instrumental in India’s historic fifth consecutive gold in the women’s 4x400m relay at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, is reported to have accepted a temporary ban following the revelations.

The doping test was conducted in Vismaya’s hometown of Kannur, Kerala, on August 24, 2024. NADA collected her sample as part of their routine out-of-competition testing protocol. Analysis of the sample revealed the presence of clomiphene, a prohibited substance classified under the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) Prohibited List in the S4 category of Hormone and Metabolic Modulators.

Clomiphene, a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM), is commonly used in female fertility treatments to stimulate ovulation. However, it is banned at all times under WADA regulations due to its anti-estrogenic effects, which can be abused to counteract the side effects of anabolic steroids or for performance enhancement.

Reports indicate that VK Vismaya has admitted to using the banned substance and accepted a provisional suspension. The temporary ban could lead to a harsher sanction if a disciplinary panel finds evidence of intentional doping. This controversy comes as a significant blow to the athlete, whose career had already seen challenges, including her absence from recent international competitions.

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Which other Indian athletes alongside VK Vismaya have been caught in doping?

VK Vismaya’s case is not an isolated incident. Several other Indian athletes have also been caught in doping.

Quarter-miler Sunita, who clinched a bronze medal in 1500 meters at the National Open Athletics Championship, tested positive for Erythropoietin (EPO), a substance known to enhance endurance by increasing red blood cell production. Sprinter Muskan Rana, who participated in the Delhi State Athletics, and decathlete Praveen Kumar, who competed in the Inter-Railway event, were both found to have used stanozolol, an anabolic steroid.