National Games
8 medallists among 11 caught doping at 2025 National Games in Uttarakhand
With tests still underway, the number of athletes caught doping is expected to rise.
If found guilty, Shivpal could possibly be suspended for eight years for this second doping offence. (Representative Image)
A total of 11 athletes were tested positive for banned substances by the National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) during the 2025 National Games in Uttarakhand.
This development came to light after NADA submitted a report of the event to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) a few days back. All the 11 athletes found to be in violation have been handed provisional suspension.
According to a report in The New Indian Express, eight out of the 11 athletes tested positive were medal winners. Punjab stood out with the most doping violations as six athletes from state were caught in Uttarakhand.
This includes the renowned basketball player Amritpal Singh, who has plied his trade in leagues in Australia and Japan.
The 33-year-old Amritpal was a part of Punjab's gold medal winning basketball team at the 2025 National Games. This is his second doping violation, having previously been tested positive in 2020.
If found guilty, Amritpal could face a ban up to eight years.
A couple of wushu players and men's 87kg weightlifting national record holder were also tested positive.
As per reports, NADA is still testing some of the collected samples and the numbers might still rise. The 2023 National Games in Goa had seen a total of 25 positive doping cases.
