Asian Para Games gold medallist Neeraj Yadav was found dead at his residence, with a post-mortem examination underway at a Delhi hospital on Wednesday (October 28, 2026).

S. Satyanarayana, head coach of the Indian para-athletics team, confirmed the incident, saying he had learnt of the tragedy. “It is very unfortunate that such a thing has happened,” Mr. Satyanarayana said.

The 42-year-old 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. The circumstances surrounding his death are yet to be established.

Mr. Satyanarayana added, “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.”

One of India’s accomplished para-athletes, Yadav won three gold medals at the Asian Para Games and a javelin title at the 2018 edition in Jakarta, followed by gold medals in the javelin and discus at Hangzhou in 2023.

After the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) report reached the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), the two gold medals he won at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Para Games were stripped by the Asian Paralympic Committee. Since he tested positive for a banned substance, he also did not get the cash reward from the government.

Diagnosed with post-polio residual paralysis at the age of seven, Yadav initially took up wheelchair tennis before switching to para-athletics, where he went on to make his mark on the international stage.

Yadav competed in the F55 category, which covers seated field events, including the shot put, discus and javelin.

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