Indian gymnast Dipa Karmakar, who is serving a doping ban, has returned to the national training camp.
The Gymnastics Federation of India (GFI) has named Karmakar for the training that is scheduled to start on May 23.
The Tripura-born gymnast earned accolades as she finished fourth in the women’s vault final at the Rio Olympics 2016.
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Earlier in February this year Karmakar was sanctioned by the International Testing Agency (ITA) after her dope sample collected from an event in October 2021 tested positive for Higenamine, which is a prohibited substance under World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Code.
The 29-year-old was suspended for a period of 21 months, backdated to October 11, 2021 when the sample was collected. The ban is supposed to last until July 10, 2023.
Why did GFI name Dipa Karmakar in the national camp despite suspension?
GFI suggested that they have stuck to the rules of WADA which states that a suspended athlete can train during her suspension period but they also claimed that Karmakar can only compete after fully serving the ban.
Indian Express quoted the GFI president Sudhir Mittal who said,
As an exception to Article 10.14.1, an Athlete may return to train with a team or to use the facilities of a club or other member organisation of federation (FIG’s) or other signatory’s member organisation during shorter of the (1) the last two months of Athlete’s period of Ineligibility, or (2) the last one-quarter of the period of Ineligibility imposed.
For starters, we have named her as a core probable for the Asian Games in September, not the Asian Championship next month. The selection trials for the Asian Games will happen after July 10 when her suspension ends. This was a long list meant to be sent to the ministry in advance for the Asian Games. There is a WADA clause wherein an athlete can resume training at a camp two months before the end of her ban. Anyway, the national camp for the Asian Games will begin only at the end of July. So where’s the doubt?
What next for Dipa Karmakar?
Once her ban gets over the Indian gymnast will aim to compete in the upcoming Asian Games which begin on September 23, 2023, in Hangzhou, China.
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