Top swimmer Arjun Muralidharan handed two-year ban for doping

New Delhi: Multiple-time national champion swimmer Arjun Muralidharan has been handed a two-year ban by National Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel after testing positive for stimulant Methylhexaneamine during the All India Police Aquatics Championships in March.

The Panel imposed a sanction of two-year ban on Muralidharan, starting October 25, a NADA source told PTI. "Arjun has been handed a two-year ban. He can appeal to National Anti-Doping Appeal Panel," the source said. 26-year-old Maharashtra swimmer Muralidharan has won 15 national titles so far. He at one point of time held the national records in 50, 100 and 200 meter butterflies simultaneously. He has also been the best swimmer in three consecutive Open National Championships from 2004-2007. His biggest international achievement came at the 2004 Commonwealth Youth Games at Bendigo, Australia, where he won a bronze medal in the 200 butterfly. He has also won several titles at South Asian Games. His last international medal came in South Asian Games in Dhaka where he won a gold in 100m butterfly. His brother Amar Muralidharan was also handed a two-year ban by the same panel in November last year after testing positive for the same stimulant, Methylhexaneamine.