Javelin thrower Amit Kumar tests positive for banned substance; handed provisional suspension by AFI

New Delhi: Talented javelin thrower Amit Kumar, who had won a bronze medal at the recent National Inter-State Athletics Championships, has tested positive for a banned substance during an exposure trip to Finland in June.

While Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has remained tight-lipped about the developments, sources close to the athlete confirmed that Amit has been handed provisional suspension.

Amit, who had won a silver at the Federation Cup before the bronze at the Inter-State Meet, could not make it to the Asian Games team as he fell short of the 81m mark.

It is learnt that Amit was tested in Finland during the exposure trip in June. The tests were conducted by Finland’s anti doping agency on the directions of the Athletes’ Integrity Unit (AIU) of the IAAF.

While filling up the Dope Control form, Amit did not mention about a supplement he had consumed before landing in Finland.

He tested positive for excessive levels of testosterone, that was present in that particular supplement.

A source close to the athlete said that had Amit mentioned about the supplement in his form, there was a chance of getting relief but he did not mention it because at that particular time, he was not consuming it.

Little did he know that the supplement’s composition had prohibited substance.