Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Oct 28: Indian para-athlete Neeraj Yadav, a three-time Asian Para Games gold medallist, has allegedly died by suicide after reportedly consuming poison at his residence. A postmortem examination was underway at a Delhi hospital on Wednesday, while the circumstances surrounding his death remained unclear.
S Satyanarayana, head coach of the Indian para-athletics team, confirmed Yadav’s death and expressed grief over the loss. He said he had received information about the incident and that the athlete’s body was still at the hospital.
“Neeraj has died by suicide. It is very unfortunate that such a thing has happened,” Satyanarayana said.
The 42-year-old athlete, who competed in the F55 category, was reportedly under emotional distress after missing the Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya earlier this month due to a doping suspension. However, the exact circumstances surrounding his death and the reasons behind it have not been established.
Satyanarayana said he could not speculate on the specific reasons behind the tragedy, adding that athletes must learn to cope with both success and setbacks.
Yadav’s doping case dates back to October 2023, when the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) conducted an out-of-competition test on him in Bengaluru, six days before he was scheduled to leave for the Hangzhou Asian Para Games. His sample reportedly tested positive for stanozolol, a banned anabolic steroid.
Yadav challenged the findings during the anti-doping proceedings and reportedly sought DNA testing of the sample to establish his innocence. He was subsequently placed under provisional suspension, which remained in force and prevented him from competing at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Para Games in October 2026.
According to Satyanarayana, missing the 2026 Games dealt a significant emotional and financial blow to Yadav. His absence meant losing an opportunity to compete for medals, along with potential government cash awards and employment opportunities often linked to sporting achievements.
Yadav was among India’s accomplished para-athletes, having won three gold medals at the Asian Para Games. He won the javelin throw title at the 2018 edition in Jakarta before securing gold in both the javelin and discus events at the 2023 Games in Hangzhou.
Diagnosed with post-polio residual paralysis at the age of seven, Yadav initially pursued wheelchair tennis before switching to para-athletics. He went on to establish himself on the international stage through his performances in seated throwing events.
He competed in the F55 classification, which includes seated throwing events such as the shot put, discus and javelin.