Parvej Khan, a promising Indian middle-distance runner who recently captured headlines with his stellar performances at the NCAA circuit in the United States, has been provisionally suspended after testing positive for a banned substance. The 19-year-old athlete, who hails from a humble farming family in Haryana, faces a potential four-year ban if the doping violation is confirmed.
The news of Khan’s suspension was confirmed by a top source privy to the development, who told PTI on Friday. The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) is currently investigating the case, and details regarding the nature of the banned substance and the date of the suspension remain undisclosed.
It is believed that Khan’s doping sample was collected during the National Inter-State Championships held in Panchkula from June 27 to 30, where he was competing in a domestic event for the first time since the National Inter-State Championships in Bhubaneswar in June 2023. Despite winning the men’s 1500m gold in Panchkula with a time of 3 minutes, 42.95 seconds, he missed the qualifying time for the Paris Olympics by a significant margin.
Khan’s meteoric rise to fame began earlier this year when he became the first Indian to qualify for the final of a track event at the NCAA Championships. His achievements, coupled with his humble background, earned him the title of ‘new Indian track sensation’. He is currently studying on scholarship at the University of Florida.
Khan’s athletic prowess has been evident since his early years. He won the 1500m gold in the 2022 National Games with a new personal best of 3:40.89 in Gandhinagar. His impressive track record also includes gold medals in the 800m at the U-16 Nationals in 2019 and the 1500m at the National Open Championships in 2021. He also secured silver in the 1500m at the National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships in Chennai in 2022 and gold in the same distance at the National Open in Bengaluru the same year.
Just a month before his suspension, Khan clocked a personal best time of 3:36.21 in the 1500m at the Portland Track Festival on June 9 in the USA, making it the second fastest time by an Indian athlete, trailing only Jinson Johnson’s national record of 3:35.24 set in 2019. This suspension casts a shadow on Khan’s future prospects and serves as a stark reminder of the importance of clean sport.
