A third doping case was announced at the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya on Sunday, after Uzbekistan's Nodirbek Shavkatov tested positive for meldonium, the International Testing Agency (ITA) said. Shavkatov, who won bronze in mixed martial arts (MMA), has been provisionally suspended following the positive test for the banned substance. He has the right to appeal the provisional suspension and to request analysis of his B sample.
The first case announced during the Games was that of Thailand's Pitchamon Opatniputh last Monday. The sample from the 19-year-old badminton player, ranked 18th in the world, was collected on 17 September in an out-of-competition test before the Games began. It revealed the presence of furosemide, a diuretic that can be used to mask the use of anabolic steroids. On Saturday, Turkmen karateka Dayanch Keletliyev also tested positive for meldonium. The drug is used to treat certain heart conditions and can improve endurance and speed up muscle recovery in athletes. It has been on the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) list of prohibited substances since 2016.
