By Team INVC | INVC NEWS
Published: August 29, 2026 | 10 : 43 AM IST
NEW DELHI, INDIA | August 29, 2026 —
India’s Asian Games preparations have been hit by a fresh doping controversy after distance runner Abhishek Pal received a notice from the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) following the detection of a prohibited substance in his sample.
Pal has been selected in India’s 72-member athletics squad for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026, where he is scheduled to compete in both the 5,000m and 10,000m.
But with the Games beginning in Japan on September 19, his participation has suddenly come under a cloud.
The key point, however, is important:
Abhishek Pal has not been provisionally suspended at this stage.
A NADA notice is part of the anti-doping results-management process and should not be treated as a final finding of guilt or a confirmed ban.
What Was Found in Abhishek Pal’s Sample?
Reports say a prohibited substance was detected in Pal’s sample in a very small quantity.
More detailed reporting has identified the substance as clomiphene, a drug commonly associated with female fertility treatment.
Clomiphene is included among prohibited hormone and metabolic modulators under anti-doping rules.
The unusual nature of the substance has reportedly prompted questions around how it entered Pal’s sample, and he is expected to seek further examination of the case.
NADA has not yet announced a final sanction against the runner.
No Provisional Suspension Yet
This is what separates Pal’s case from a confirmed doping ban.
He has received a notice, but no provisional suspension has yet been imposed.
That means he remains part of India’s Asian Games squad for now.
Under NADA procedures, an athlete served with an apparent anti-doping violation can respond to the notice and, depending on the case, seek a hearing before the Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel.
The outcome of that process will ultimately determine whether Pal remains eligible to compete.
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Clock Is Ticking Before Asian Games
The timing could hardly be worse for the athlete.
The 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya run from September 19 to October 4, 2026, leaving only a few weeks for the matter to move toward clarity.
Pal was selected after a strong domestic season.
At the National Inter-State Championships in June, he:
- Won gold in the 10,000m
- Finished second in the 5,000m
He also won bronze in the 10,000m at the 2023 Asian Championships and has spent time training in the United States.
That recent form earned him two distance-event slots in India’s Asian Games squad.
Now his immediate race may be off the track:
getting the NADA case resolved before the Indian team competes in Japan.
India’s Asian Games Doping Concerns Grow
Pal’s notice comes at an uncomfortable time for Indian sport.
Doping cases have already affected India’s Asian Games preparations in other disciplines.
Wrestling entries have been reduced following doping violations, while other athletes have also faced anti-doping scrutiny ahead of the continental competition.
That creates extra pressure on Indian sports authorities as the country prepares to send a large contingent to Japan.
For clean athletes, doping cases can also have consequences beyond individual sanctions because withdrawals can affect event entries, medal prospects and the wider reputation of Indian sport.
What Happens Next?
Three developments now matter.
First, Pal must respond through the NADA results-management process.
Second, authorities must determine whether the analytical finding constitutes an anti-doping rule violation after considering his response and any further testing or investigation.
Third, a decision is needed quickly if his Asian Games participation is to become clear before September 19.
Until then, headlines declaring Pal “banned” or “suspended” would be inaccurate.
For now, the position is straightforward:
A prohibited substance has reportedly been detected.
NADA has served a notice.
No provisional suspension has been imposed.
His Asian Games place remains uncertain.
That uncertainty alone makes the case one of the most serious last-minute disruptions to India’s athletics preparations for Aichi-Nagoya 2026.
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