Olympian Kamalpreet Kaur throws laurels into shame

Top Indian discus thrower Kamalpreet Kaur, who achieved stardom for her exploits at the Tokyo Games, was on Wednesday banned for three years due to her use of the prohibited substance Stanozolol, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has announced.

Her ban will be effective from March 29, 2022. Kamalpreet was handed a provisional suspension in May this year after testing positive for the steroid, which was found in her sample that AIU collected at Patiala, on March 7.

Stanozolol is classified as an anabolic steroid and is on the list of banned substances, as per World Athletics.

"The AIU has banned Kamalpreet Kaur of India for 3 years for the presence/use of a Prohibited Substance (Stanozolol), starting from 29 March 2022. DQ results from 7 March 2022," the AIU said in a statement.

Kamalpreet had refused the analysis of her B sample.

"On 11 April 2022, the athlete confirmed that she would not request the B Sample analysis or the A Sample and/or B Sample Laboratory Documentation Packages ("LDPs") unless she was assisted with the related costs," the AIU said.

Kamalpreet had finished sixth at the Tokyo Games in a splendid show. She had made a rapid rise last year when she set a national record of 65.06m, in the lead-up to the Tokyo Olympics.

She finished second in the qualifying round at Tokyo to progress to the final, where she finished sixth with a best throw of 63.70m. It was the third-best performance by an Indian in a field event, at the Games.

The 26-year-old had four supplements analysed in a private laboratory and "traces of steroid" were founded in one protein supplement. She was allowed to have that protein supplement tested at the National Dope Testing Laboratory in New Delhi, which also reported the presence of Stanozolol in it.

She was then called for an interview, where Kamalpreet said that she used the protein supplement "five days per week, on training days, from around 10-15 February 2022 until and including 2 days before the doping control." However, there was no explanation regarding how she got the supplements.

The AIU then issued the Athlete with a Notice of Charge on September 7. Her sentence, however, was reduced from four years to three. as Kamalpreet admitted to the violation and agreed to the proposed sanction within 20 days of receiving a notice from the AIU.

The ban means all of her results on and since March 7, 2022, will stand null and void.