Dutee Chand tests positive for prohibited substances, provisionally suspended

The urine sample of Dutee Chand showed traces of 'andarine', 'ostarine' and 'ligandrol', which fall under the SARMS category and are banned under WADA rules

India's top sprinter Dutee Chand has been provisionally suspended after her 'A' sample returned positive for prohibited anabolic steroids during an out-of-competition testing.

The report of the adverse analytical finding, a copy of which is in possession of PTI, says Dutee has tested positive for SARMS (Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators), a type of supplement that helps increase muscle mass and strength and is also known to help burn fat and improve stamina.

The urine sample of the athlete showed traces of 'andarine', 'ostarine' and 'ligandrol', which fall under the SARMS category and are banned under World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) rules.

In the letter issued to Dutee on January 3, 2023, the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) said, "I do hereby inform you that your sample A was tested at the NDTL (National Dope Testing Laboratory) in accordance with the procedure set out in WADA's (World Anti-Doping Agency) International Standard of Laboratories and was returned adverse analytical findings."

The sample was collected out-of-competition on December 5 last year at Bhubaneswar.

The 26-year-old, who won the 100m and 200m silver medals at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, can now opt for a 'B' sample test under WADA rules and if that also returns an adverse analytical finding (AAF), or she cannot establish that the anti-doping rule violation was not intentional, she could be banned for four years.