Barman, who hails from Bengal, previously secured the Asian championship title in 2017 and recently finished fourth at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games. Following a brief hiatus in 2024, she returned to competition and placed third at the National Open Championships held in Bengaluru last year. Earlier this year, Barman ventured into politics ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections and announced her retirement from athletics on July 31.
Severe Penalties for Other Athletes
In addition to Barman's suspension, NADA has also imposed a significant penalty on Shivpal Singh, a former Asian silver medallist in javelin throw. Singh has received a 10-year ban for his second doping violation, having tested positive for methandienone. His period of ineligibility commenced on March 27, 2025. Singh had previously faced a four-year suspension for his first offence in 2022, which was later reduced to one year following an appeal.
Furthermore, sprinter M.V. Jilna has been provisionally suspended for her second doping offence after testing positive for mephentermine. The 28-year-old athlete had completed a three-year suspension for her first violation in July 2025 before returning to competition this year. In another case, middle-distance runner Sanjana Singh, who won two gold medals at the South Asian meet in Ranchi last year, has been handed a five-year suspension starting November 7, 2025, after testing positive for both methandienone and oxandrolone.
