The Indian athletics community is facing another setback as two athletes, Sneha Kolleri and Varsha Tekam, have been provisionally suspended for violating anti-doping rules. These suspensions come at an unfortunate time, just before the Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi, South Korea.
Sneha Kolleri, a quartermiler and a member of the Indian 4x400m women's relay squad, has been suspended for the "Presence/Use of a Prohibited Substance (Stanozolol)," according to the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU). Stanozolol is a performance-enhancing anabolic steroid. Her sample was reportedly taken during an in-competition test at the National Relay Championships in Chandigarh last month. This adverse finding led to her withdrawal from the Indian team just before they were scheduled to compete at the Asian Athletics Championships. Kolleri was also a member of the mixed relay team at the World Relays in China earlier this month. Individually, she had secured a bronze medal with a personal best timing of 53 seconds at the Federation Championships held in Kochi. Furthermore, she had won a gold medal in the 200m at the Indian Grand Prix-2 in Thiruvananthapuram.
Meanwhile, long-distance runner Varsha Tekam faces suspension for "evading, refusing, or failing to submit to sample collection by an athlete," as stated by the AIU. Tekam had previously finished second in the Pune Half Marathon last year, clocking in at 1:26:22 seconds.
The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) is now under scrutiny, particularly regarding its policy of selecting only national campers for relay teams. Kolleri, a national camper in Thiruvananthapuram, testing positive raises questions about the effectiveness of the anti-doping measures and oversight within the national camp.
The news of these suspensions has undoubtedly cast a shadow over the Indian contingent at the Asian Athletics Championships. Initially, the AFI did not provide a reason for Kolleri's withdrawal from the squad, adding to the confusion and speculation surrounding the situation.
These incidents add to a growing list of doping violations in Indian athletics. In April 2025, Asian Games silver medalist Kartik Kumar was suspended after testing positive for stanozolol and high levels of testosterone. Earlier this year, in March, sprinter Akshay Nain and race walker Aditya Negi received four-year bans for similar violations. Furthermore, several other athletes, including long-distance runners Hemraj Gurjar and Anjali Kumari, wrestler Divya Kakran, and boxer Thokchom Yaisana Chanu, have faced lengthy suspensions for doping offenses. These cases underscore the persistent challenges faced by Indian sports authorities in their efforts to combat doping and maintain the integrity of the sport.
A provisional suspension means that both Kolleri and Tekam are barred from participating in any competition or athletics-related activity until a final decision is reached at a hearing under the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules or the Integrity Code of Conduct.
