4 Indian athletes test positive

Four Indian athletes tested positive for banned substances in domestic testing on Thursday, only a day after two athletes were caught in tests conducted by the world athletics body. Athletics Federation of India Director Manohar Lal Dogra confirmed on Thursday that "the 'A' samples of long jumper Hari Krishnan, woman sprinters Sini Jose and Tiana Mary and shot putter Sonia Kumari had tested positive for anabolic steroids and they had been provisionally suspended." Hari Krishnan, Jose and Kumari tested positive for methandienone while Mary tested positive for epimethandiol in tests conducted at a national championship earlier this month. Two 400m runners, Mandeep Kaur and Jauna Murmu, had been suspended on Wednesday. Article continues below Gold Jose and Kaur were members of the 4x400 relay team that won gold at last year's Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, while Murmu was a standby for the Asian Games. All three were expected to be part of the squad for the Asian Championships in Kobe, Japan, from July 7. Murmu also tested positive in the tests conducted by the national doping agency. "So many athletes testing positive is a matter of concern and we will look into it," said Dogra.