Indian gymnast Dipa Karmakar suffered a huge blow, on Friday (February 03), with the International Testing Agency (ITA) confirming that she has been suspended for a period of 21 months — effective until 10 July 2023 — for testing positive for the use of a prohibited substance (i.e. Higenamine).
Dipa tested positive for Higenamine (S3. Beta-2 Agonists as per the World Anti-Doping Agency prohibited list) and, thus, paid the price for being suspended for a brief period to dent her journey. The positive sample was collected on behalf of the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG). The suspension effectively means that the athlete’s results will be disqualified starting on October 11, 2021.
Higenamine was added to WADA’s list of prohibited substances in 2017. It can serve as an anti-asthmatic to open up airways and can also be cardiotonic; leading to an increase in cardiac output by strengthening heart contraction.
Dipa, who ended in the fourth spot in Rio Olympics 2016, had recently taken part in the FIG World Cup in Baku. She made the vault final but couldn’t secure a top-eight spot in the balanced beam event.
The ban will surely hurt Dipa’s progress as the 29-year-old will now miss as many as all four Apparatus World Cup Series tournaments (Cottbus, Doha, Baku, and Cairo) and at least three of the six World Challenge Cup Series. She could return during the 2023 World Championships in Antwerp (September 23-October 8).
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