Asian Games gold medallist Prathamesh Jawkar accepts two-year ban for whereabouts failures

NEW DELHI: Prathamesh Jawkar, a gold medallist at the Asian Games 2023, has accepted a two-year suspension for violating anti-doping whereabouts rules, effectively ruling him out of major international competitions until April 2028.

According to Olympics.com, the 22-year-old compound archer agreed to the sanction imposed by the International Testing Agency (ITA), with the ban coming into effect from April 19. As a result, Jawkar will miss the upcoming Asian Games cycle and is also likely to be out of contention for the Olympic Games 2028.

Jawkar’s suspension stems from three whereabouts filing failures within a 12-month period, recorded in January, July and October last year, constituting a violation under Article 2.4 of anti-doping regulations.

Athletes in the Registered Testing Pool (RTP) are required to regularly update their location details on the Anti-Doping Administration and Management System (ADAMS) to remain available for out-of-competition testing.

Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur congratulates the Indian archery compound men’s team Ojas Pravin Deotale, Abhishek Verma, and Prathamesh Samadhan Jawkar for winning a gold medal at the Asian Games pic.twitter.com/sjNCVr6Tmt

— ANI (@ANI) October 5, 2023

Explaining his decision to accept the sanction, Jawkar said he opted against contesting the charge after seeking legal advice. He admitted the lapses were due to “sheer negligence,” citing missed deadlines and communication issues, including turning off phone notifications and uncertainty around travel plans during an overseas trip.

Despite the setback, Jawkar remains determined to continue training during his suspension. “What has happened has happened now. I will not stop practising, and I will not lose hope,” he said.

Jawkar was part of India’s gold medal-winning compound men’s team at the Hangzhou Asian Games alongside Ojas Pravin Deotale and Abhishek Verma. He also enjoyed a stellar 2023 season, clinching individual gold at a World Cup stage in Shanghai and contributing to multiple podium finishes globally.

The suspension marks a significant interruption in the young archer’s rising career, with his return to competitive action scheduled only after April 18, 2028. (ANI)