“Neeraj Has Died by Suicide”: Coach Satyanarayana Confirms Death of Asian Para Games Gold Medallist at 42

New Delhi, October 28: Indian para-athlete Neeraj Yadav, a former Asian Para Games gold medallist, has allegedly died by suicide after consuming poison at his residence. The 42-year-old’s death was confirmed by Indian para-athletics head coach S Satyanarayana. The postmortem examination is currently underway at Delhi’s GTB Hospital, where fellow para-athletes Sumit Antil and Vipin Kasana are present.

“Neeraj has died by suicide. Unfortunately, such a thing has happened,” Satyanarayana said, adding that the athlete’s body was still at the hospital.

Yadav, who competed in the F55 category, was reportedly under emotional stress after missing the Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya earlier this month due to a doping suspension. However, the circumstances surrounding his death have not yet been established.

Satyanarayana said he could not determine the exact reason behind the incident but expressed sadness over the athlete’s death.

“I can’t speculate the exact reason, but if you ask me, I would say a sportsperson should face the highs and lows with equanimity. It’s unfortunate that he chose this far and took the extreme step,” the coach said.

Yadav had established himself as a prominent name in Indian para-athletics, winning three gold medals at the Asian Para Games during his career. He claimed the javelin title at the 2018 edition in Jakarta before securing gold medals in the javelin and discus events at the 2023 Hangzhou Games.

However, following a positive test for a banned substance, the two gold medals he won in Hangzhou were subsequently stripped by the Asian Paralympic Committee after the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) report reached the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). He was also denied the government cash reward associated with the achievements.

Diagnosed with post-polio residual paralysis at the age of seven, Yadav initially pursued wheelchair tennis before switching to para-athletics. He went on to compete internationally in the F55 category, which includes seated field events such as the shot put, discus and javelin. The circumstances surrounding his death remain under investigation.

Disclaimer: If you or someone you know is struggling with emotional distress or suicidal thoughts, please seek help. In India, you can call Tele-MANAS at 14416 for free, 24/7 mental health support. You are not alone, and help is available.