Rameshwar Munjal admits he is a dope cheat, gets 5-year ban

India’s long distance runner Rameshwar Munjal has been banned for 5 years by the Athletics Integrity Unit, AIU, for presence/use of a prohibited substance after he admitted to committing the anti-doping rule violation.

Munjal’s urine sample provided in-competition at the Indian Oil WNC Navy Half Marathon, held in Mumbai, India, early last December and tested at the World Anti-Doping Agency accredited laboratory in New Delhi, India was said to contain prohibited substances viz Erythropoietin (‘EPO’) and Darbepoetin (‘dEPO’).

At the middle of the month, AIU says it notified the athlete of these findings.

According to the AIU, ‘the athlete was also informed of his rights, inter alia, to request the B Sample analysis, to request copies of the laboratory documentation supporting the adverse analytical finding, to provide an explanation for the finding and to admit the anti-doping rule violations.

Munjal decided not to contest the charge and instead admits to spiking his system with the banned substances.

He thus, on April 28, returned an admission of anti-doping rule violations and acceptance of consequences form signed to confirm that he admitted the anti-doping rule
violations and accepted the consequences specified in the notice of allegation.