Commonwealth Games 2022: Medal winner under doping scanner, India could lose one medal in the overall tally

India’s medal tally of 61 at the recently concluded Commonwealth Games 2022 could be cut to 60, as one of the medal winners in the para event is under the doping scanner.

The player in question took pain killers and tested positive for morphine, an official from the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) familiar with the development told Sportskeeda on condition of anonymity as preliminary investigations are still on.

Morphine is under the narcotics sub-category of drugs under the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) prohibited list.

The player under the doping scanner admitted to taking painkillers, but didn’t reveal the details, saying the issue had been sorted out.

“I didn't take any prohibited substance,” was the player's response.

JP Singh, who also accompanied the para team as a coach, denied any wrongdoing.

“The player didn’t take any prohibited substances banned by WADA,” Singh said.

Ashok Ahuja, former head of the sports medicine center at Patiala’s Sports Authority of India (SAI), said that the use of morphine is illegal in competitive sports.

“It increases tolerance to pain. It is mostly used by distance runners and cyclists,” Ahuja added.

The incident of the Indian medal winner under a doping scanner at the Commonwealth Games could be embarrassing for the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA). All members of the Indian contingent bound for Birmingham were screened for doping before boarding the flight.

The samples were analyzed at the New Delhi’s National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL). The two para-athletes who failed out-of-competition dope tests were dropped from the 30-member CWG squad.

Despite being under a doping scanner, the Commonwealth Games medal winner is in the process of applying for the Arjuna Award based on winning a medal at CWG.

India finished fourth at the Commonwealth Games

At the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, India overall won 61 medals, including 22 gold, 16 silver and 23 bronze medals, to finish fourth.

New Zealand finished fifth with 20 gold medals. Australia topped the chart with 67 gold, while hosts England with 57 gold was second. Canada, with 26 gold medals, came third in the medal table.

Indian wrestlers won as many as six golds, while the table tennis team earned four gold medals at CWG. India won three golds each in boxing and badminton.

Weightlifters also added three gold medals to the Indian team tally. Athletics and Lawn Bowls contributed one gold medal each. A para powerlifter won one gold.