On Wednesday, November 3, 2025, two-time gold medalist Sanjana Singh and her coach, Sandeep, have been provisionally suspended due to doping violations. According to reports, the investigation has found the involvement of both the player and the mentor in the alleged trafficking of prohibited items.
The 18-year-old athlete tested positive for steroids named methandienone and oxandrolone, following which the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) confirmed her suspension on their website. Meanwhile, coach Sandeep has been given a suspension for “Trafficking or Attempted Trafficking of Prohibited Substances”.
Sanjana is a recent winner of two gold medals at the SAAF Senior Athletics Championships held in Ranchi. She won the 1500m and 5000m categories at the event. In the 5000m event, she defeated Seema by a time of 15:38.70, while in the 1500m event she edged passed over Sri Lanka’s Arachch Nimali by 4:25.36.
According to reports, Sanjana’s samples for the doping test were taken during the 64th National Open Athletics Championships, held in Ranchi during September, which indicated the presence of synthetic androgen and anabolic steroids. These steroids are said to be banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
In the event, the athlete bagged two silver medals in the national championships, one in the 1500m race, where she finished in a time of 4:15.89, losing to Lili Das. In the other event, which was the 5000m, she lost to Seema by a time of 16:03.23.
Other sports athletes that are involved in the suspension
Besides Sanjana, Himanshu Rathi, a middle-distance runner, has also been provisionally suspended after testing positive for mephentermine. Another distant runner named Basanti Kumari has tested positive for 19-norandrosterone. The runner recently participated in a marathon at the 2025 World University Games.
Meanwhile, Sheena Varkey will be under a three-year suspension for Ligandrol (SARM) violation under the case resolution agreement. Earlier this year, the 33-year-old triple jumper from Kerala won a silver medal at the Uttarakhand National Games.
Other than that, Sankar Logeswaran, a weightlifter who recently bagged a gold medal at the 2025 Khelo India University Games, has been provisionally suspended for testing positive for Drostanolone.
Who is Sanjana Singh?
Born on December 23, 2006, Sanjana competes in the Women’s 5000m category and is currently No. 435 in World Rankings. During a competition in October this year held at the Birsa Munda Football Stadium, Morabadi, Ranchi, she scored her personal best of 15:38.70.
