Dipa Karmakar suspended for 21 months for use of prohibited substance

Dipa Karmakar has been suspended for a 21-month period for the use of prohibited substance, effective until July 10, 2023, the International Testing Agency (ITA) confirmed on Friday.

Karmakar tested positive for Higenamine (S3. Beta-2 Agonists as per the World Anti-Doping Agency prohibited list). The positive sample was collected on behalf of the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG) in the scope of an out-of-competition control on 11 October 2021.

The case was resolved via a case resolution agreement pursuant to article 10.8.2 of the FIG Anti-Doping Rules (FIG ADR, and equivalent provision in the World Anti-Doping Code). The athlete’s results have been disqualified from 11 October 2021 onwards.

Karmakar is the first gymnast from India who competed in the Olympics. In her debut 2016 Summer Olympics, in the final, she reached till 4th position

She caught everyone’s attention after she performed a difficult Prodonova vault and completed it against top Gymnasts such as Simone Biles of United States, Maria Paseka and Giulia Steingrubber at the Rio Olympics.

Karmakar grabbed bronze at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, becoming the first Indian female gymnast to do so in the history of the Games. She bagged bronze at the Asian Gymnastics Championships and finished fifth at the 2015 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships- both firsts for her country.