Anti-doping drive intensifies: Three coaches sacked after surprise raid in Rajgir

With exactly a month left for the 2026 Commonwealth Games and India pushing to host major global events such as the 2030 CWG and the 2036 Olympics, authorities have intensified their crackdown on doping-related activities, leading to the dismissal of three coaches from the Khelo India State Centre of Excellence in Rajgir, Bihar.

The Bihar State Sports Authority (BSSA) has terminated the services of athletics coach Krishna Kunal, weightlifting coach Rocky Kumar and chief weightlifting coach Gurvinder Singh after a surprise inspection allegedly uncovered suspected doping-related materials at the State Sports Academy.

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The action comes amid the Union Sports Ministry and the Sports Authority of India’s continued efforts to curb doping and promote clean sport across the country.

According to official orders which are in possession of The Statesman, an inspection team conducted a surprise visit to the academy on June 16. During the inspection, officials recovered injectable substances, needles, syringes, nutritional supplements, foreign-origin medicines and suspected performance-enhancing substances from premises used by Krishna Kunal and Rocky Kumar.

The inspection report stated that “materials that appear to be prohibited in sports or of a high doping-risk category were recovered” from the coaches’ quarters. Officials also noted that the storage of injectable materials, needles and syringes was “in contravention of the established anti-doping standards and the integrity of the sport.”

Calling the matter a serious threat to clean sport, the BSSA observed that it affected “the integrity of sports, principles of Clean Sports and the reputation of Bihar State Sports Authority,” adding that such cases require a policy of “Zero Tolerance.”

Following the recommendations of the inspection committee, the contracts of Krishna Kunal and Rocky Kumar were terminated with immediate effect. Both coaches have also been barred from employment in the Bihar Sports Department and its affiliated bodies for two years. In a separate order, the authority also terminated the services of Gurvinder with immediate effect.

Gurvinder was held responsible for failing to ensure effective compliance with anti-doping norms, inadequate supervision of athletes and assistant coaches, and failure to implement clean sport directives issued by the Bihar State Sports Authority.

“Despite this, the recurrence of doping-risk activities and materials in the weightlifting unit indicates that the required monitoring, control, and preventive measures have not been ensured at your level,” the order stated.