Summary: The 22-year-old clocked a personal best of 53.18 seconds for 400m in 2024 and was making efforts to cement her place in the senior group. But a positive test for banned substance has halted her progress.
Promising 400m runner from Haryana, Summy, was making efforts to cement her place in the senior group in the 2024 season. She clocked a personal best of 53.18 seconds in women’s 400m race during a domestic meet in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
Summy, a member of the Indian U20 (4x400m) relay team that clocked 3:34.18, a national record at the 2022 World Athletics U20 Championships in Cali, Colombia. However, at the fag-end of the 2024 season she failed in an out-of-competition dope test conducted by NADA (National Anti Doping Agency), which halted her progress as she was provisionally suspended. “I’m going through a difficult phase of my life,” the 22-year-old said after being sidelined due to the positive test. Hearing of her case is pending. As per the guidelines of World Athletics, the global governing body of track and field, athletes facing anti-doping violation charges can’t compete in events sanctioned by World Athletics. Since the Athletics Federation of India (AFI), the Indian national body that oversees track and field in the country, is affiliated to World Athletics, Summy cannot compete in AFI events.
After failing the dope test last year, the army runner was deprived of privileges elite sportswomen are entitled to in the army. She has been posted back to her regiment. Summy is currently doing general duty and is based out of Ahmedabad in Gujarat. “I’ve to do general duty and don’t get time for practice,” she added.
After her encouraging performance at the two World Athletics U20 Championships in 2021 and 2022, Summy was drafted into the army via sports quota. She was training at Pune’s Army Institute of Sports and was hopeful of making a mark at the senior level too. Summy’s efforts to make an impression at the 2024 Inter-State Athletics Championships held in Panchkula, Haryana, a qualification event for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, went in vain as she was eliminated in the preliminary round of the women’s 400m event. The talented runner is off the track and is clueless about her comeback. “I’ve heard nothing about the hearing procedure from the NADA till March 2025,” she said of the pending hearing.
Hearing gives an athlete an opportunity to share her part of the story on how and why banned substances entered their body. And, is part of the WADA (World Anti Doping Agency) anti-doping procedure before a final verdict is pronounced as to whether the athlete can be held responsible (and penalized) for the doping violation.
Summy said she was subject to a random dope test in August 2024 and tested positive for Clomifene, a non-steroid drug available over the counter in India and used for fertility by females.
But Clomifene has been banned by WADA as it enhances sports performance. Clomifene is also used for medication purposes but the athlete needs to apply for TUE (Therapeutic Use Exemption), which officially allows athletes to take medicine to treat their illness. Summy didn’t apply for TUE and now suffers.
Only time will tell whether she will be able to get a reprieve, but unfortunately, she has lost out crucial time at the peak of her youth.
