Jasleen Singh Saini: Judoka fails dope test, out of contention for Asian Games 2023

Judoka Jasleen Singh Saini, an Asian Games probable, has returned positive for a banned drug in an in-competition test conducted last month during Taipei Open where he had won gold, according to sources.

The 25-year-old Saini had won a gold medal in men's 66kg category in the Taipei Asia Open early last month.

"Yes, he had failed a dope test conducted by an international agency during the Taipei Open. So, he will not be in the Asian Games team," a team coach, who has knowledge of the development, told PTI.

The International Testing Agency (ITA) conducts testing and result management for International Judo Federation.

Saini was named in the list of probables for the September 23 to October 8 Hangzhou Asian Games.

The Judo Federation of India had conducted a selection trial in Delhi in April but the final team is not yet known.

He became the fifth judoka to fail dope test in two months. Four judokas -- Harshdeep Brar (81kg), Gulab Ali Mohsin (60kg), Rahul Sevta (81kg) and Akshay (66kg) -- last month failed out-of-competition tests conducted by the National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) during the national camp in Bhopal and selection trials in Delhi.

All four have been handed provisional suspension.