Dipa Karmakar suspended for 21 months for testing positive for higenamine, confirms ITA

Indian gymnast Dipa Karmakar suffered a huge blow, on Friday (February 03), with the International Testing Agency (ITA) confirmingthat she has been suspended for a period of 21 months -- effective until 10 July 2023 --fortesting 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 andis being suspended. 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.

Dipa reacts to her suspension

"...I unknowingly ingested and could not determine the source of (the banned substance). I decided to take a provisional suspension with the hope of a swift resolution with the international federation," Karmakar said in a post on social media.

Higenamine was added to WADA's list of prohibited substances in 2017. Itcan serve as an anti-asthmatic to open up airways and canalso be cardiotonic;leading to an increase incardiac output by strengthening heart contraction.

Dipa, who ended in the fourth spot atRio Olympics 2016, had recently taken part in theFIG 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 asthe 29-year-old will now miss as many as allfour Apparatus World Cup Series tournaments (Cottbus, Doha, Baku, and Cairo) and at least three of the six World Challenge Cup Series. She could returnduring the 2023 World Championships in Antwerp (September 23-October 8).