Indian javelin thrower DP Manu under NADA scanner; 2024 Paris Olympics hopes lost

Indian javelin thrower DP Manu has been banned from competing in the ongoing National Inter-State Championships as he is suspected to have been caught in the dope net, virtually ending his 2024 Paris Olympics participation dreams.

Acting on instructions from the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA), the Athletic Federation of India (AFI) has barred Manu from competing in the National Inter-State Championships. Although his name was on the entry list, he was subsequently dropped from the updated list.

Had Manu participated, he would have more or less qualified for the Paris Olympics through the world ranking quota. The Indian athlete is ranked 15th on the World Athletics Road to Paris list and was on course to qualify for the Paris Olympics. The top 32 athletes will get a chance to compete in the men’s javelin throw.

The qualification deadline to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics is June 30 and Manu will miss the bus.

Adille Sumariwalla, president of the AFI, told news agency PTI that NADA had asked the federation to stop Manu from competing. He, however, was not sure of whether the Indian athlete had committed an offence. “There could be something like that, but we still don’t know what is the actual thing. There was a phone call to the AFI office (from the NADA) yesterday that he (Manu) be stopped from competitions,” Sumariwalla said.

The president added that there are no more details on why the NADA has barred Manu from competing.

India’s Neeraj Chopra and Kishore Jena have already secured automatic qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympics after breaching the entry standard of 85.50m. A country can have a maximum of three athletes in an Olympic track and field event and Manu could have joined the duo after qualifying through the world ranking quota.

Manu has shown steady growth in his performances in the recent past. He finished second, behind Neeraj Chopra, at the Federation Cup in May with a throw of 82.06m.

He went on to win the gold medal at the Taiwan Athletics Open in Taipei City after sending the javelin to a distance of 81.58m.