Star Indian sprinter Hima Das is set to make her comeback at the Indian Grand Prix 1 in Bengaluru on April 30 after being cleared by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) following a disciplinary hearing last month. The 24-year-old Assam athlete, who faced provisional suspension by NADA for three whereabouts failures in a 12-month period, has been given the green signal to compete again.
According to media reports, Hima’s name appears on the entry list for the women’s 200m race at the IGP 1, as prepared by the Athletics Federation of India. The decision to allow her to return to competition was made by the NADA Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel, although details of the hearing’s proceedings remain undisclosed.
Hima Das, known for her outstanding performances including a silver medal in the 400m individual event at the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games, had been sidelined from competition due to both injury and disciplinary issues. Despite being part of the gold and silver-winning relay teams in Jakarta, she missed out on selection for the subsequent Hangzhou Asian Games team due to injury.
Her last competitive race was at the Indian Grand Prix in Bengaluru in April last year, where Hima Das clinched gold in the 200m with a time of 23.77 seconds. However, she missed the entire 2023 season due to her suspension and ongoing injury concerns.
The specifics of Hima’s whereabouts failures, whether related to filing or missed tests, have not been clarified. Under the regulations of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), three whereabouts failures within a 12-month period constitute an anti-doping rule violation, potentially leading to a ban of up to two years.
Apart from her disciplinary issues, Hima Das has been battling injuries, including a recurring lower-back problem and a hamstring injury suffered in April last year. These injuries have kept her out of major competitions, such as the Federation Cup and the National Inter-State Championship in 2023, which served as qualifying events for the Hangzhou Asian Games.
Despite these setbacks, Hima’s return to competition marks a significant moment for Indian athletics, and her presence at the Indian Grand Prix 1 is sure to be eagerly anticipated by fans and supporters alike.
