Asian Athletics Championships 2023: Shot putter Karanveer Singh out of India squad after flunking dope test

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India was handed their first embarrassment ahead of Asian Athletics Championships 2023 as shot putter Karanveer Singh failed a dope test and was subsequently left out of the squad less than a week ahead of the continental event in Bangkok.

Karanveer Singh, who trains at the National Institute of Sports (NIS) in Patiala, was earlier named in a 54-member Indian team for the July 12-16 continental championships. The Indian team will leave for Thailand on Saturday night.

"Yes, that is correct," Athletics Federation of India (AFI) president Adille Sumariwalla told news agency PTI on Saturday when asked if Karanveer had failed a dope test.

The exact date of the dope test and name of the banned substance are not known but he tested positive following an out-of-compeition test. Earlier in the day, an Indian team source had said that Karanveer could be left out of the side leaving for Thailand from New Delhi and Bengaluru.

The 25-year-old track and field athlete had won a bronze in the Federation Cup in May with a throw of 19.05m while he was second behind Asian record holder Tajinderpal Singh Toor in the National Inter-State Championships in June with an effort of 19.78m. He is currently sixth among Asians in the season's top list.

He has a personal best of 20.10m, achieved during the National Open Championships last year. Toor will now be the lone Indian in the men's shot put event in the Asian Championships.

With inputs from PTI