Sports

Weightlifter Khumukcham Sanjita Chanu's Ban Lifted By International Weightlifting Federation

The 25-year-old, who had won the gold medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in the women's 53 kg category, vehemently denied the test result.

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
Weightlifter Khumukcham Sanjita Chanu's Ban Lifted By International Weightlifting Federation
info_icon

After months of confusion surrounding her 'failed dope test', the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) has reportedly revoked the ban imposed on Khumukcham Sanjita Chanu on Wednesday.

In May 2018, the IWF had claimed that a banned steroid (testosterone) was found in Sanjita's urine sample taken on November 18, 2017, in the US, a few days before the IWF World Championship.

"IWF reports that the sample of Ms. Sanjita Chamnu KHUMUKCHAM (IND) has returned an Adverse Analytical Finding for Testosterone (S1.1 Anabolic Agents). As a consequence, the Athlete is provisionally suspended in view of a potential anti-doping rule violation," it read.

The 25-year-old, who had won the gold medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in the women's 53 kg category, vehemently denied the test result saying "I have never used any banned substances in my sporting career. I have always abided by the clean and fair play motto of IWF."

With the support of civic bodies in her home state Manipur, Sanjita even launched a #Justice4SanjitaChanu campaign. As a last resort, she wrote to the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi seeking justice last August.

The sport's world governing informed the India Weightlifting Federation (IWLF) has and Sanjita of the development, reports PTI.

"On the basis of the information at its disposal the IWF has decided that the provisional suspension of the athlete (Khumukcham Sanjita) shall be lifted as of today (22 January 2019)," the IWF legal Counsel Eva Nyirfa said in a letter.

"The IWF Hearing Panel will render its decision on the athlete's case in due course," it added.

In Gold Coast, Sanjita had set a new Commonwealth Games record with a lift of 84 kg in snatch and 108 kg in clean and jerk, to finish with a total of 192 kg.