TN sprinter Dhanalakshmi receives eight-year ban for second doping violation
Tamil Nadu sprinter S. Dhanalakshmi has been suspended for eight years for her second anti-doping rule violation, as per a National Anti-Doping Agency Disciplinary Panel decision on December 30.
The 27-year-old Dhanalakshmi, who returned to action last year after serving an earlier suspension and recorded her personal best of 11.36 to win the women’s 100m at the National Inter-state meet in Chennai in August, had tested positive for drostanolone.
Her sample was collected at the Indian Open meet at Sangrur in July and she was provisionally suspended following the positive test. Her period of ineligibility will start from September 19 last year.
The sprinter returned to action this season after serving a three-year suspension for doping, has tested positive for a second time, according to reliable sources.
The National Inter-State meet in Chennai was Dhanalakshmi’s third competition since her return. Her ban ended on the first day of August’s Tamil Nadu State Senior Athletics Championships, where she announced her comeback by bagging the title.
Published on Jan 05, 2026