New Delhi, Oct 29:
Asian Para Games gold medallist Neeraj Yadav has allegedly died by suicide after consuming poison at his residence. A postmortem examination was under way at a Delhi hospital on Wednesday.
S Satyanarayana, head coach of the Indian para-athletics team, confirmed Yadavâs death. The circumstances surrounding the incident were yet to be established.
The 42-year-old athlete, who competed in the F55 category, had reportedly been under emotional stress after missing the Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya earlier this month because of a doping suspension. However, the precise circumstances behind his death have not been confirmed.
Yadav was one of Indiaâs accomplished para-athletes, winning three gold medals at the Asian Para Games. He won the javelin title at the 2018 edition in Jakarta before securing gold medals in both javelin and discus 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 subsequently established himself as a leading competitor in seated field events.
The F55 classification covers seated throwing events such as shot put, discus and javelin. Yadavâs achievements at the Asian Para Games made him a prominent figure in Indian para-athletics.
The death has raised concerns about the emotional challenges faced by elite athletes as they deal with suspensions, setbacks and the pressure of competition. However, no definitive link between the reported doping suspension and the incident has been established.