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Judoka Tulika Maan suspended by NADA for whereabouts failure
Indian judo's Tulika Maan is provisionally suspended for a doping violation, reducing the Commonwealth Games squad as concerns grow over repeated offenses.
New Delhi: In a big setback for the Indian judo team participating in the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, Tulika Maan has been provisionally suspended by the National Anti-Doping Agency for a whereabouts failure.
It has been learned that Tulika, a silver medallist from the last edition in Birmingham, has been withdrawn from the team. She was part of the judo squad for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. This is the second dope-related violation in the judo team.
“She has been handed a provisional suspension by NADA for a whereabouts failure,” said an official aware of the development.
This comes a day after another judoka, Arun Kumar, was withdrawn from the squad after he failed an out-of-competition doping test. Arun, who was part of the men’s 73kg category, tested positive for an anabolic steroid.
The initial 14-member judo squad has now been reduced to 12. Tulika has been training here.
Tulika, 27, is one of the country’s established judokas and competed at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Judo fetched India three medals at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, and the team was expected to improve on its medal count this time. However, back-to-back doping violations have raised alarm.
Three whereabouts failures or missed tests within a 12-month period result in an anti-doping rule violation.
