Yash Kumar Chauhan suspended from Asian Games after failing dope test

What happened to Yash Kumar Chauhan?

Indian kurash player Yash Kumar Chauhan has been provisionally suspended from the Asian Games after testing positive for three separate banned substances.

The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) announced the suspension on Saturday, following an investigation by the International Testing Agency (ITA). The ITA, which manages drug testing at the Aichi-Nagoya Games on behalf of the OCA, collected the sample on 27 September—the day Chauhan competed in the men’s 90kg category.

The analysis of the 24-year-old’s sample revealed a cocktail of prohibited performance-enhancers. The ITA detected metabolites of the anabolic steroid Metandienone, metabolites of the endurance-boosting drug GW1516, and the stimulant Mephentermine.

Under the rules of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the OCA, the provisional suspension takes effect immediately. It completely bars Chauhan from the Games, preventing him from competing, training, coaching, or participating in any official capacity.

Which banned substances were found?

Each of the three substances found in Chauhan’s sample targets physical performance in different ways.

Metandienone is a classic oral anabolic steroid derived from testosterone. In its statement, the OCA described it as a potent drug that increases testosterone levels, causing muscle-mass growth, endurance, and strength. Because of its powerful synthetic effects, it is banned at all times, both in and out of competition.

GW1516 is also prohibited at all times. It is a metabolic modulator that triggers the pathways involved in burning fat, allowing athletes to sustain high-intensity exercise for longer periods.

Mephentermine, the third substance, is a stimulant that acts directly on the central nervous system. It is used to increase alertness and delay fatigue, and is banned specifically during in-competition periods.

What happens next for the athlete?

Chauhan has the right to fight the provisional ruling. He can challenge the suspension before the anti-doping division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), and he can also request that his B-sample be analysed to confirm or dispute the initial laboratory findings.

On the mat, Chauhan’s Asian Games campaign was short-lived. He was eliminated in the round of 16 on 27 September, losing his bout to Tajikistan’s Mirmamadov Shakarmamad.

The kurash competition, which ran from 26 to 29 September, yielded one medal for the Indian delegation. Pincky Balhara won bronze in the women’s 78kg division, securing India’s only podium finish in the discipline.