-PTI
Asian Games silver medallist javelin thrower Kishore Jena and D P Manu have joined Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra in the Registered Testing Pool (RTP) of Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), the global track and field anti-doping watchdog.
Chopra, who is also the reigning world champion and Asian Games gold medallist, has been there in the RTP for some time but Jena and Manu were new additions in the list announced by AIU for the first quarter of 2024, indicating the rise of Indian javelin throwers at the world stage.
Jena had finished fifth in the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, where Chopra won gold. Manu had finished sixth. Three Indians had finished in the top six of the javelin throw final in the 2023 World Athletics Championships, a record in itself.
Altogether, seven Indians are currently in the RTP of the AIU. Star 3000m steeplechaser Avinash Sable, woman javelin thrower Annu Rani and long jumpers Murali Sreeshankar and Jeswin Aldrin are the other Indians in the list.
Athletes included in the RTP are required to file “whereabouts” information on a quarterly basis, like home address, email address, phone number, training location, competition schedules and locations.
The athletes are also required to furnish a 60-minute time slot for each day where they will be available and accessible for testing. Failure to be present at the pre-designated slot will attract a “missed test”.
Failure to file these information will constitute a “whereabouts failure”. Three such failures or missed tests combined in a 12-month period will constitute an anti-doping rule violation and may attract a two-year suspension.
Featured Image: The Statesman