MP All-Rounder Anshula Rao Becomes The 1st Women Cricketer To Be Banned By NADA

In the first incident of its kind, a women cricketer named Anshul Rao has been handed a four-year ban by the National Anti-Doping Agency for failing the dope test.

The Madhya Pradesh all-rounder, who has featured in several domestic finals, Anshula Rao, was punished by NADA’s Anti-Doping Disciplinary Committee for willingly taking performance enhancement drugs.

Anshula Rao, a registered cricketer with the BCCI as a part of its affiliation with MPCA, last featured in a women’s U-23 T20 tournament during the 2019-20 season.

She tested positive for a banned anabolic steroid Norandrosterone in March last year and the all-rounder failed to testify that the banned substance entered her body without her knowledge.

Two samples were sent to a laboratory in Belgium which found traces of the banned drugs in Rao’s sample.

While defending herself in the court, Anjula Rao said there was a four-month gap between the dope test and the charges slapped by the National Doping Agency.

Rao also alleged that she was forced to bear exorbitant costs of Euro 2400 for the sample analysis.

The ADDP, chaired by advocate Gaurang Kanth said that it is the duty of every athlete to ensure that no banned substance enters his/her body.

The ADDP, however, criticized NADA for not providing financial aid to conduct her B Sample analysis, the panel said she “failed to adduce any evidence to explain how the prohibited substance entered into her body.”

While slapping a four-year ban, the panel concluded that the presence of the prohibited substance is “established beyond doubt” and noted that

“in the present case the athlete failed to explain how the prohibited substance entered in her body and hence she failed to take the reasonable care as expected from an athlete.”

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