- Sunday, May 05, 2024
By: Sarwar Alam
The International Weightlifting Federation on Wednesday (23) revoked the provisional suspension of India’s Commonwealth Games double gold medallist Sanjita Chanu who faced a four-year ban for a failed dope test.
Chanu’s sample, taken out-of-competition in the United States before the World Championships in November 2017, had tested positive for an anabolic steroid.
The result was declared two months after Chanu won gold in the women’s 53kg class at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia in March last year.
Chanu, 25, claimed innocence and appealed for an inquiry.
The IWF said while it was revoking her suspension, the result of her case would be announced in due course of time.
“On the basis of the information at its disposal, the IWF has decided that the provisional suspension of the athlete (Sanjita Chanu) shall be lifted…,” IWF’s legal counsel Eva Nyirfa said.
“The IWF Hearing Panel will render its decision on the athlete’s case in due course,” Nyirfa said in an email addressed to the the Indian Wrestling Federation and Chanu.
Chanu said the news had come as a “big relief” after a traumatic eight months of uncertainty during which she missed the Asian Games and the World Championships.
“It is a big relief for me and I now want to compete in the World Championships this year,” Chanu, who also won gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, told AFP over the phone.
The head of India’s wrestling body Sahdev Yadav who had vowed to fight Chanu’s case said he was hopeful the star weightlifter would come out clean soon.
“The case has not ended but she can train for now if she wants,” Yadav told AFP.
