Indian javelin thrower DP Manu, who was being seen as an Olympic hopeful, has been provisionally suspended by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) after testing positive for an anabolic steroid.

A source privy to the development confirmed that Manu’s positive test came during the Indian Grand Prix in April this year.

Earlier, Manu was asked to stay away from competitions by the Athletics Federation of India on the instructions of NADA.

The 24-year-old Manu, who won a silver medal at the 2023 Asian Championships, was set to qualify for the Olympics through the world ranking quota but now will miss the Paris bus after the latest development.

He was in the initial entry list for the National Inter-State Championships which began on Thursday here. But his name has been dropped from the updated roster.

AFI president Adille Sumariwalla said that NADA has asked the federation to stop Manu from competitions but he did not confirm whether the athlete has committed a doping offence.

“There could be something like that, but we still don’t know what is the actual thing. There was a phone call to AFI office (from the NADA) that he (Manu) be stopped from competitions,” Sumariwalla said.

Manu finished second behind Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra with a throw of 82.06m in the Federation Cup in Bhubaneswar last month. He later won gold at the Taiwan Athletics Open on June 1 with a throw of 81.58m.

Manu was 15th in the World Athletics Road to Paris list and on course to qualify for Paris Olympics as 32 athletes will compete in the men’s javelin throw event. The qualification deadline is June 30.

Chopra and Kishore Jena have already qualified.