For years, the fallout from doping scandals in Indian sports fell almost entirely on the athletes. However, 2026 has marked a pivotal turning point. In a major shift toward structural accountability, the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) has actively targeted high-profile coaches and support staff under strict complicity and administration regulations.
The recent provisional suspension of Yunus Khan—a middle- and long-distance coach at the Army Sports Institute (ASI)—has sent shockwaves through the athletics fraternity. Yunus Khan is one of the biggest names in Indian distance coaching, having trained elite runners including Asian Games medallist Gulveer Singh, Kartik Kumar, and Sawan Barwal.
The Case Against Yunus Khan
The Charge: Yunus Khan was handed a provisional suspension under Article 2.9 for Complicity.
The Allegation: He allegedly facilitated training access and issued reference letters or authorization for Kartik Kumar—a distance runner serving an active NADA suspension—allowing him to access official, federation-recognized training facilities. Under anti-doping regulations, aiding a suspended athlete in bypassing facility access restrictions constitutes complicity.
Legal Caveat: This action is a provisional suspension pending a formal disciplinary hearing before NADA’s Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel (ADDP). It remains an ongoing proceeding rather than a final, proven violation.
2026 Crackdown: Prominent Coaches Facing Action
Yunus Khan is not an isolated case. NADA’s official registry in 2026 reflects an unprecedented push to enforce accountability at the coaching level. Here are four other prominent Indian athletics coaches who have faced severe action under Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs):
1. Rakesh Kumar
Sanction: Handed a lifetime ban by NADA—one of the first instances in Indian athletics history of a coach receiving a permanent ban.
Background: Reportedly based in Bihar.
Charge: Sanctioned under Article 2.8 (Administration or Attempted Administration of Prohibited Substances or Methods, as well as aiding, abetting, or covering up an anti-doping rule violation).
Caveat: Specific case documentation and public disclosures by NADA regarding the detailed evidence remain limited.
2. Ramesh Nagapuri
Sanction: Originally provisionally suspended, but his suspension was subsequently lifted by the Anti-Doping Appeal Panel (ADAP).
Background: One of the most prominent names in Indian sprinting, coach to Dutee Chand, and a national junior athletics coach appointed by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) at the time of the charge.
Allegation: Accused under Article 2.9 (Complicity) for allegedly instructing athletes to leave the GMC Balayogi Athletics Stadium in Hyderabad on December 2, 2024, to evade surprise doping control, and failing to provide contact details for athletes under his care.
Legal Caveat: The Anti-Doping Appeal Panel cleared the suspension, legally exonerating Nagapuri of the provisional charges brought against him.
3. Sandeep Maan
Sanction: Recorded on NADA’s official list as of April 1, 2026, under Article 2.7 (Trafficking or Attempted Trafficking of Prohibited Substances).
Background: A national-level coach from Sonipat, Haryana.
Allegation: Alleged involvement in supplying prohibited substances to track-and-field athletes.
Context: The investigation stems from positive drug tests by junior athlete Sanjana, who broke national records and won gold at the National Open and South Asian levels before testing positive for multiple banned substances.
4. Mickey Menezes
Sanction: Handed a 4-year ban and a ₹50,000 fine by the Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel (ADDP).
Background: High-profile Mumbai-based athletics coach.
Charge: Found guilty of Article 2.8 & Article 2.9 violations for administering the prohibited anabolic steroid Drostanolone via injection to trainee Kirti Bhoite.
Defense & Caveat: Menezes maintained in his defense that his supplier misled him into believing the injection contained no banned ingredients