Pune: In a huge embarrassment for Indian rowing and the Army Rowing Node (ARN) in particular, World Cup gold medallist Lakshay has been suspended provisionally after returning a positive result in an out of competition dope test.Lakshay, who had combined with Ujjwal Singh to clinch the lightweight double scull gold at World Cup 3 in Switzerland last month, was found to have tested positive for stanozolol in a sample collected on May 25 at ARN in Pune.It was India’s first ever gold at a World Cup. It is all set to be stripped now.It is also a blow for India’s preparations for this year’s Asian Games in Japan since the Lakshay-Ujjwal combination was considered a strong medal prospect.
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A Havildar from Haryana, the 23-year-old Lakshay had won gold in the lightweight double scull with Ajay Tyagi at the Asian Championships last year in Vietnam, where he was also part of the silver-winning quadruple scull team.Besides, he had also won a gold in double scull at the 2022 Asian Junior rowing championships in Thailand.REQUEST TO TEST ‘B’ SAMPLELakshay did not respond to a question on whether he would request his B sample to be tested but Balaji Maradappa, president of the rowing federation (RFI), replied in the affirmative.“He has to apply, the federation can only support him. But we will (request for B sample test),” Maradappa told The Times of India.“He had been tested many times. He was tested during the Asian Championships last year, and again on June 12th this year. All had come back negative.”ASIAN GAMES MEDAL AT STAKEOn the impact it will have on India’s chances at the Asian Games, Balaji remained upbeat.“Nothing is lost. We have strong scullers. Ajay Tyagi is already part of the team as a reserve. We want to try out Rohit (with Ujjwal), but we will have to request the IOA to include his name in the entry list,” he said.“This is very sad and disappointing because we were on a high (after the World Cup gold). But in a way it is good because we still have time before the World Championships (in Amsterdam, Aug 24-30).”LENS ON ARMY ATHLETESThere had been rowers who had failed dope tests earlier, but Lakshay is probably the first top level oarsman to return an adverse analytical finding.Since 2010, there have been five known instances of rowers having received sanctions: Jagtar Singh (tested positive for MHA, banned for 2 years, Aug 2012); Anuj Kumar Singh (nandrolone, 2 18 months, Aug 2012); Bimola Devi (nandrolone, 4 years, 2015); Daljeet Singh (dimethylamphetamine, 4 years, Sep 2019); Malak Singh (mephentermine, 4 years, 2023).Besides, in 2021 in Hyderabad, 22 rowers — 11 men and as many women — received a one-year ban for testing for the same substance, a diuretic.The latest result brings under microscope athletes who train at army facilities. Lakshay’s reporting comes close on the heels of judoka Arun Kumar being withdrawn from the squad for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.Arun, also an Havildar, was a product of the Army Judo Node before he started training at Inspire Institute of Sports.In the case of the Army Rowing Node, located inside the College of Military Engineering campus, athletes’ activities, including their rest and sleep, are monitored round the clock.
