What happened to Parvej Khan? All about the Florida Gators athlete's provisional doping suspension

Middle-distance runner Parvej Khan, who represents the Florida Gators, has been provisionally suspended from participating in any further athletic competitions as per reports. The 19-year-old Indian tested positive for a banned substance called Erythropoietin or EPO.

As per a report from Times of India, Parvej Khan was banned after being tested positive for EPO, for which the samples were collected in June 2024 at the National Inter State Athletics Championships, held at Tau Devi Lal Stadium in Panchkula.

EPO is preferred by athletes involved in endurance sports, since it increases the red blood cell mass. Thus, it increases the stamina and performance of the concerned athlete in an unfair manner.

If the charges are proven to be correct, Parvej Khan will be banned for at least four years as per the anti doping regulations laid out by World Anti-Doping Agency. Apart from that, the athlete stands the risk of losing his NCAA eligibility if he is proved guilty in this case.

Parvej Khan honed his skills at the Khelo India Games and subsequently, the National Games, before he gained admission at the University of Florida. He represents the Florida Gators club at the local SEC, as well as NCAA events. With a time of 3 minutes. 56.642 seconds, the middle distance runner is the Indian record holder in the mile event.

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Parvej Khan's performances in the NCAA season

Parvej Khan [in Blue Jersey] running at a local athletic meet in USA for the Florida Gators [Image for Representational Purposes] [Image Source : Parvej Khan's X Account [formerly Twitter]]

Before the unexpected suspension, Parvej Khan was an emerging sensation in middle-distance events, including the 800m and the 1500m. He is the first Indian athlete to compete at any track event in the NCAA Division I Championships. Khan is only the fourth Indian to compete at the NCAA Championships after Vikas Gowda, Mohinder Singh Gill, and Tejaswin Shankar.

In May 2024, at the SEC Track and Field Championships, Parvej Khan won the gold medal for the Florida Gators in the 1500m event. The Indian athlete also won a bronze medal in the 800m event.

Parvej Khan also became the first Indian and the first Florida Gators athlete to win the SEC Indoor Championship in the Men's mile event since 2011.

Parvej Khan recorded a personal best of 3 minutes 36.21 in the men's 1500m event at the Portland Track Festival, held in Portland, Oregon, in 2024. This is a little lower than the national record of 3 minutes 35.24 seconds set by former Asian champion Jinson Johnson at an athletic meet in 2019.

A few months ago, at an athletic meet in Florida held in March 2024, Khan had also recorded a personal best of 1 minute, 46.12 seconds in the 800m event.