Bengaluru
India’s 1,500m national record holder KM Deeksha has returned a second positive test for a banned substance, further deepening the doping controversy surrounding one of the country’s leading middle-distance athletes.
The 27-year-old runner, who has been under provisional suspension by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA), tested positive again following an in-competition sample collected during the Indian Athletics Series 2 meet in Jaipur in April.
According to reports, the same prohibited substance, Stanozolol, was detected in both the latest sample and an earlier out-of-competition sample collected in Bhopal in February. Stanozolol is a synthetic anabolic-androgenic steroid banned under anti-doping regulations because of its performance-enhancing properties.
The second adverse analytical finding significantly weakens any defence available to the athlete and is expected to result in disciplinary action. Deeksha is now set to accept a reduced three-year sanction from NADA’s Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel. Earlier, she had reportedly considered challenging the first positive finding through an appeal process.
Deeksha made headlines in 2024 when she broke the national record in the women’s 1,500m event, clocking an impressive 4:04.78. The performance established her as one of India’s brightest prospects in middle-distance running and raised hopes of success at major international competitions.
However, her 2026 season has been overshadowed by the doping case. The athlete participated in only one competition this year—the Jaipur meet where the in-competition sample was collected. She recorded a time of 4:25.74, well below the qualification standards required for major events such as the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games.
Meanwhile, Indian athletics has also been dealt another setback with javelin thrower Sachin Yadav battling an elbow injury that could jeopardise his chances of qualifying for the Asian Games.
