The gymnast tested positive for higenamine, a beta-2 agonist, which means it is prohibited for consumption at all times, both in and out of competition
Indian gymnastics’ poster girl Dipa Karmakar has been handed a retrospective 21-month suspension by International Testing Agency (ITA), an independent non-profit organisation that handles anti-doping test procedures for the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG).
Dipa tested positive for higenamine, a beta-2 agonist, which means it is prohibited for consumption at all times, both in and out of competition. Dipa’s samples were collected out-of-competition on October 11, 2021, and the ban runs until July 10, 2023.
“Dipa Karmakar has been suspended for a 21-month period, effective until 10 July 2023 after testing positive for higenamine,” ITA said on their website.
“The case was resolved via a case resolution agreement pursuant to article 10.8.2 of the FIG Anti-Doping Rules,” the statement added.
As per the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), higenamine has mixed adrenergic receptor activity, meaning it may act as a general stimulant. Added to WADA’s list of prohibited substances in 2017, higenamine can act as an anti-asthmatic to open up airways. It may also be cardiotonic, which means it can strengthen heart contraction to increase cardiac output.
