Indian tennis player Parikshit Somani has been suspended from tennis for four years by an independent tribunal. The tennis star, who reached a career-high of 256 in the world doubles ranking, tested positive at an ATP Challenger event in Astana, Kazakhstan, on 31 July 2025.
The tribunal was set up by the International Tennis Integrity Agency, who are the organisation responsible for safeguarding the integrity of professional tennis worldwide. He was provisionally suspended in September 2023, but will now serve a full ban of four years.
A statement from the ITIA read: “An independent tribunal has suspended Indian tennis player Parikshit Somani for four years under tennis’ anti-doping rules.
“26-year-old Somani, who reached a career-high world doubles ranking of 256 in July 2023, tested positive for the prohibited substance trimetazidine while competing in an ATP Challenger event in Astana, Kazakhstan, on 31 July 2025. Somani has been provisionally suspended since 23 September 2025.
“In late 2025, while provisionally suspended, Somani accessed the ITIA’s player support programme to investigate multiple prospective sources of contamination, but the products tested negative for trimetazidine at the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)-accredited laboratory in Salt Lake City, USA.”
Adding: “In February 2026, the player asserted that he had consumed food prepared by a family member, which had been contaminated by the family member’s medicine during the food production process.
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The substance was picked up at an ATP Challenger event in Astana, Kazakhstan (Image: Getty)
“This became the basis of Somani’s explanation at a hearing before an independent tribunal on 19 August 2026. Having considered expert scientific opinions presented by Somani and the ITIA, the independent tribunal concluded that the food contamination theories were ‘scientifically implausible’, ‘highly speculative’, and ‘unconvincing’.
“The tribunal determined that Somani had not established the source of the prohibited substance found in his sample, and therefore no mitigating circumstances apply. In line with tennis’ anti-doping rules, the tribunal issued Somani with a four-year suspension.
“Time served under provisional suspension is credited against the sanction. As such, Somani’s suspension will end on 22 September 2029. While suspended, Somani is not allowed to play in, coach at, or attend any events organised or sanctioned by World Tennis, WTA, ATP, the Grand Slams, or any national association.”
By the time Somani’s suspension is up, the right-hander will be approaching his 30th birthday. The banned heart medication has been front and centre of other doping cases, including Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva, who was also given a four-year doping ban.