Tamil Nadu sprinter Dhanalakshmi Sekar has been banned from competitive athletics for eight years after failing a doping test for the second time, sources said.
Dhanalakshmi Sekar had earlier been banned for three years in 2022 for a doping violation. After completing the suspension, she returned to competition in August last year.
However, she has now tested positive again, attracting a stricter punishment under anti-doping rules.
According to officials, her samples were collected during the India Open Athletics Championships held on July 27.
The test results confirmed the presence of prohibited substances, leading to an eight-year ban from all recognised competitions.
A native of Tiruchirappalli in Tamil Nadu, Dhanalakshmi Sekar has represented the State at several national-level athletics meets and won medals, including gold and silver, at the National Athletics Championships.
She was also selected for the 400-metre event at the Tokyo Olympic
Games.
Earlier, during the 2021 National Federation Cup, she created a record in the 200-metre event by clocking 23.26 seconds.
The latest ban is seen as a major setback to her career and has once again brought the issue of doping in Indian athletics into sharp focus.
Doping Violation: Athlete Dhanalakshmi Sekar banned for eight years
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