Two Indian athletes admit to using performance enhancing drugs, banned for three and five years
Two Indian athletes, Pradhan Kirulkar and Vivek More have admitted to spiking their system with performance enhancing substances and have been banned for three and five years respectively by the Athletics Integrity Unit, AIU, whose role is to protect the integrity of the sport of athletics.
The AIU banned Pradhan Kirulkar for three years from 19 February 2025 for Presence/Use of a prohibited substance, Meldonium while More was banned for five years from 21 February 2025 for Presence/Use of a prohibited substance: Mephentermine, Meldonium and dEPO.
The two athletes admitted to violating World Athletics’ anti-doping rules.
‘I also acknowledge that I have taken the ingredients found in my body and I accept whatever punishment is given to me for this crime,’ wrote Kirulkar in his message to the AIU and signed the admission of anti-doping rule violations and acceptance of consequences form.
The distance runner provided a urine sample in-competition at the Bajaj Allianz Pune Half Marathon which he won.
The World anti-doping agency, WADA’s accredited laboratory in New Delhi reported that the analysis of the sample revealed presence of meldonium, a prohibited substance.
More also tested positive at the Pune event after his urine analysis also revealed the presence of mephentermine, meldonium and darbepoetin (dEPO).
Like Kirulkar, More also admitted to cheating and returned to the AIU a signed copy of the admission of anti-doping rule violations and acceptance of consequences form.
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