Para athlete Rajni Jha blames contaminated supplement for her 12-month ban

Indian para athlete Rajni Jha has blamed a contaminated supplement for her ban of 12 months. Jha is a para canoe sportsperson and would have represented India at the upcoming Paris Paralympics if she would have not been suspended. Her suspension came after she was found positive for methyltestosterone in an out-of-competition test on March 30 this year.

In her defense to the ban, she has mentioned that the contaminated supplement bore the mark of FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India), as per the Hindustan Times. National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) has a tie-up with FSSAI to ensure safety for diet supplements. And Jha has put the same on board in her defense. The supplement from the same batch was also tested at the National Doping Test Laboratory and indeed the substance was found in it.

Now, despite the supplement being approved by FSSAI, the Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel has said that the athlete should have been more cautious and consulted a doctor or sports nutritionist before buying food suplements.

The order issued on August 3 stated:

"Has the athlete made any research as to whether the product she was buying was actually FSSAI approved or a fake logo is mentioned on the box? There is no material on record to show that such kind of research was ever done by the athlete."

The panel also said:

"WADA never recommends consumption of these nutritional supplements; rather it has been issuing warnings to the athletes against their use. According to WADA, the Athletes consume such nutritional supplements at their own risk and they will be responsible for a positive dope test."

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Who else were suspended?

The Badminton World Federation recently suspended Tokyo Paralympics gold medalist Pramod Bhagat for breaching the anti-doping regulations. Moreover, Bajrang Punia, a renowned Indian wrestler, couldn't pass the doping test and wasn't allowed to participate in the Paris Olympics 2024, which concluded recently.

The Paralympics start on August 28 and Prachi Yadav, Yash Kumar and Pooja Ojha will represent India in para canoe this time out.