Para-athlete Neeraj Yadav, three-time Asian Para Games gold medallist, dies at 42

Para-athlete Neeraj Yadav, who won three gold medals at the Asian Para Games, has died at the age of 42.

He is reported to have died by suicide by consuming poison in his apartment on Tuesday night. He was admitted to hospital after consuming the poison. His post-mortem is under way at GTB Hospital in Delhi. The exact cause and circumstances of his death have not yet emerged.

Fellow Paralympic champions Sumit Antil and Vipin Kasana were present at the hospital. India's chief para-athletics coach S. Satyanarayana confirmed the suicide.

Satyanarayana said: "Yes, Neeraj Yadav has died by suicide. This is all the information I have so far. I have been told that he consumed poison in his apartment last night. This is very sad and deeply unfortunate news."

He added: "He was thinking of taking part in the Asian Para Games. Medals in this event bring big rewards from the government and a chance of a job as well. But the suspension from a doping test was not lifted, so he could not compete. It is possible that it affected him seriously. But we cannot say anything on this matter right now."

Yadav had been unable to take part in this month's Asian Para Games because of a suspension imposed after a doping test. The doping ban and his missing the Games are now being linked to his state of mind. However, there is no official confirmation yet of a direct link between these circumstances and his death.

A native of Uttar Pradesh, Yadav was counted among the country's most successful para-athletes. He was paralysed by polio at the age of seven. Despite this, he kept up his passion for sport. He played wheelchair tennis from 2005 to 2012 and then moved to para-athletics.

In 2015, he won gold medals in the shot put, javelin throw and discus throw at a state-level athletics meet. At the 2018 Asian Para Games, he won gold in the men's F55 javelin throw. In 2023, he won gold medals in the javelin throw and discus throw. He also played an important role in India's success in para-athletics.