Neeraj Yadav, a para-athlete who won three Asian Para Games gold medals before being suspended for a doping violation, died allegedly by suicide in Delhi. His two gold medals from the 2023 Asian Para Games were later stripped.
Para-athlete Neeraj Yadav, a native of Uttar Pradesh, died allegedly by suicide at his home in Delhi on Tuesday, according to PTI reports. The 42-year-old athlete was provisionally suspended by the National Anti-Doping Agency in October 2023 for testing positive for stanozolol, an anabolic steroid that enhances strength and provides an unfair advantage in sporting events. Yadav competed in the F55 category, which includes seated field events like shot put, discus, and javelin. He had previously played wheelchair tennis from 2005 to 2012 before shifting to para-athletics. Yadav was diagnosed with post-polio residual paralysis at the age of seven.
S Satyanarayana, head coach of the Indian para-athletics team, stated that Yadav would have been eager to compete at the Asian Para Games, as medals in such events can bring substantial government cash awards and opportunities for stable employment. Yadav won three gold medals at the Asian Para Games – the javelin title at the 2018 Games in Indonesia and gold in both javelin and discus at the 2023 Games in China. However, his two gold medals from the 2023 Asian Para Games in Hangzhou were later stripped following the doping violation.
Yadav missed the Asian Para Games in Japan from October 18 to October 24 because of the doping suspension.
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