In a major setback for weightlifting in India, top weightlifters in the country, who took part in the Senior National Championships in Vizag earlier this year, have failed dope tests. The list includes names like Commonwealth championship gold medallist Himanshu Kumar Chang, Asian youth bronze medallist Lovepreet Singh and reigning national champion in 102kg Sahil Sharma, as per the report. Commonwealth youth championship silver winner and women weightlifter from India Lalitha Gara was also tested positive.

This has now raised doubts over the claims by the Indian Weightlifting Federation and the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) of removing doping incidents from the sport completely in the country.

The report also had the name of volleyball player Amit Kumar, who played for the Black Hawks Hyderabad in the opening season of the Pro Volleyball league in Kochi and Chennai. Amit had also represented the country at the previous Asian Games in 2018 in Jakarta.

The players have been provisionally suspended by the national agency – NADA as per the regulation for an anti-doping rule violation. However, they will be allowed to put their case before the Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel.