One of the more closely watched doping-related cases affecting India’s Asian Games 2026 preparations involves distance runner Abhishek Pal, whose selection for the Games ended before competition even began.
## What’s Known So Far
According to reporting from Business Standard, Pal was served a notice by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) after the presence of clomifene was detected in his sample. As of the reporting, his case was described as “the latest and, for now, the least conclusive” among several Indian doping cases ahead of the Games, reflecting that the formal anti-doping process had not yet fully concluded at the time.
## His Background
Pal had won gold in the 5,000m at the National Inter-State Athletics Championships in June 2026 and had subsequently been named to India’s Asian Games athletics squad, making his case notable given the level of form he was in heading into the selection period.
## What Happened Next
Despite the case remaining under review, Pal was dropped from India’s final Asian Games squad, a standard precautionary step taken while a formal NADA case proceeds. No replacement runner was announced in his specific events at the time.
## Why the Process Matters
A NADA notice reflects a substance being detected in a sample, not a confirmed anti-doping rule violation on its own. The formal process, including the athlete’s right to explain the finding, determines whether a violation is ultimately confirmed.
## The Bigger Context
Pal’s case was one of several affecting India’s athletics contingent specifically, alongside separate, unrelated squad changes involving Annu Rani’s missed qualifying mark. Our full roundup of India’s doping cases before these Games covers every affected athlete for context.
## The Bottom Line
With the formal process still working through at the time of reporting, Pal’s case remains one of the more closely watched among India’s pre-Games doping stories heading into Aichi-Nagoya 2026.