Indian athlete Kartik Kumar accepts three-year ban for doping

Indian track and field athlete Kartik Kumar has accepted a three-year sanction for violating anti-doping rules after testing positive for multiple prohibited substances during an out-of-competition test, USADA said on Thursday.

After receiving information from a tipster, USADA performed an out-of-competition test on Kumar, who was training in the United States.

Kumar tested positive for metandienone metabolites 17a-Methyl-Sb-androstane-3a,17b-diol, 17b-Methyl-Sbandrost-1-ene-3a,17a-diol (epimetendiol) and 17b-hydroxymethyl-17a-methyl-18-nor-androst-1,4,13-trien-3-one (LTM); stanozolol metabolites 3′-hydroxystanozolol and 16b-hydroxystanozolol; and clostebol metabolite 4-chloro-3a-hydroxy-androst-4-en-17-one as the result of the urine sample collected on February 27, 2025.

USADA collected a follow-up urine sample from Kumar out of competition on March 19, during which he tested positive for more metandienone metabolites. In accordance with the rules, Kumar’s two positive tests were considered a single violation because he had not yet been notified of the first positive test at the time he provided his second sample.

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According to the rules, an athlete who faces an anti-doping rule violation that carries a period of ineligibility of four or more years may receive a one-year sanction reduction if the athlete admits the violation and accepts the asserted sanction within 20 days of notification of the alleged anti-doping rule violation charge.

Per the rule, Kumar qualified for a one-year reduction to the otherwise applicable four-year period of ineligibility. His three-year period of ineligibility began on April 10.

In addition, Kumar has been disqualified from all competitive results obtained on and subsequent to February 27, the date his first positive sample was collected, including forfeiture of any medals, points and prizes.

Published on Nov 13, 2025