Dipa Karmakar to leave for Asian Games trials on July 9

AGARTALA: Olympian Dipa Karmakar is set for her comeback after serving a 21-month ban for failing a dope test and will participate in the Asian Games gymnastics selection trials in Bhubaneswar on July 11 and 12, said her coach Bishweshwar Nandi on Monday.

Nandi will be accompanying her in the trials. As many as 40 gymnasts of different states are scheduled to join the trials for the Asian Games.

"Dipa Karmakar, who was out of action for the past 18 months after failing dope test conducted by World Anti Doping Agency (WADA), is set to join the Asian Games trials at Bhubaneswar. Her ban is scheduled to be completed on July 10," Nandi, who helped the 29-year gymnast to secure fourth place in Rio Olympics, told PTI.

Nandi said the world anti-doping body (WADA) initially banned Dipa for two years but later it was reduced on the ground that she had not taken any drug or narcotics.

"It is good that Dipa is returning to action after a long time. Although she is still having injuries, she wants to prove herself in the trials and make a remarkable comeback," he said, adding she had already begun practice for the trials in her native state of Tripura.