A 42-year-old gold medal-winning Indian para-athlete, Neeraj Yadav, was found dead in Delhi while serving a four-year suspension for doping. Yadav, a three-time Asian Para Games gold medallist from Uttar Pradesh, was discovered beside his SUV near Maujpur metro station on a Monday night.

Authorities reported that they were alerted by Guru Teg Bahadur (GTB) Hospital shortly after midnight on Tuesday, where he was declared dead upon arrival. A police team confirmed that the body had been moved to the hospital's mortuary, and investigations are underway, including a post-mortem to gather more details about his death. Proceedings have commenced under Section 194 of the criminal code, which governs inquiries into suspected suicides.

Yadav was the founder of the Anshneer Sports Academy in Sonipat, Haryana, and is survived by his wife and three-year-old daughter. S Satyanarayana, head coach of India’s para-athletics team, remarked that Yadav would have looked forward to competing in the recent Asian Para Games in Japan, emphasizing the significant cash awards for medalists. However, his suspension barred him from competing, which may have deeply affected him.

Earlier this year, India faced stricter anti-doping requirements, being classified among the top countries for violations. Yadav had a promising career, starting in wheelchair tennis before excelling in para-athletics, where he made history with his performance at the 2018 Asian Para Games. Unfortunately, a doping case in 2023 led to his provisional suspension after testing positive for stanozolol, an anabolic steroid, and resulted in the revocation of his medals from the 2023 Asian Para Games.

His tragic passing has raised concerns within the sporting community, and Satyanarayana expressed his sorrow, stating, "It is very unfortunate that such a thing has happened."

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