India's judo team withdraws silver medallist Tulika Maan

India's judo team has suffered a second major blow ahead of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow with the withdrawal of silver medallist Tulika Maan, who was provisionally suspended for three whereabouts failures within a 12-month period. The 27-year-old's removal from the squad follows the suspension of male judoka Arun Kumar, who tested positive for an anabolic steroid in an out-of-competition test.

The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) provisionally suspended Maan, a 2022 Commonwealth Games silver medallist in the women's 78kg category, after she allegedly committed three whereabouts failures. A judo coach confirmed that Maan received a notice from NADA and was subsequently withdrawn from the team. She appeared before anti-doping authorities on July 23 to present her case. Under World Anti-Doping Agency rules, three filing failures or missed tests in a year constitutes an anti-doping rule violation and can lead to a standard two-year ban.

Maan's absence is a significant setback for India's medal hopes. She was considered one of the country's strongest contenders in Glasgow, having represented India at the Paris 2024 Olympics and competed in multiple World Championships. Her...