A female fertility drug found in the sample of Asian Games-bound long-distance runner Abhishek Pal has left the athletics community puzzled.
Pal, who has been named in the squad for the 2026 Asian Games in Japan in the 5,000m and 10,000m races, has been issued an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) by the National Anti Doping Agency (NADA). His sample has shown the presence of clomiphene, a drug used to treat female infertility.
It is understood that Pal has already sent his reply to NADA after it was alleged that the sample showed a concentration lower than two nanograms per millilitre (2 ng/mL), the minimum reporting level set by the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA).
“Yes, he has been issued a notice. He will fight the case as he feels he has been hard done by this NADA notice,” a source close to the athlete told The Tribune on Friday.
Further, it is not known whether NADA investigated the finding before issuing the AAF. If a sample shows the presence of a substance below the minimum reporting level, the agency has to investigate and determine whether it was a case of deliberate doping or was unintentional.
Another source said that the notice was surprising as Pal is part of the Registered Testing Pool (RTP) and is regularly asked to provide samples.
However, in some cases, clomiphene is taken as a masking agent to hide the presence of steroids. If Pal fails to clear his name, he will miss out on taking part in the Asian Games, which are being held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19.
He is looking at a minimum suspension of two years as, under the WADA Code, the drug is categorised as a specified substance.
Currently training in Colorado Springs, USA, the athlete is the second Indian to be caught in the doping net after training under reputed coach Scott Simmons.
Meanwhile, Kartik Kumar, who won a silver medal at the 2022 Asian Games, is also serving a three-year suspension.
Female fertility drug found in Asian Games-bound runner Abhishek Pal’s blood sample
