Jyothi Surekha Vennam's 2025 World Cup Final bronze upgraded to silver after doping ban
Synopsis
Jyothi Surekha Vennam's podium at the 2025 Archery World Cup Final in Nanjing just got shinier — her bronze has been upgraded to silver after Mexico's Marina Bernal was disqualified for testing positive for nandrolone. Bernal, 23, is now banned until after the 2028 LA Olympics, handing GB's Ella Gibson the bronze and India a bigger medal than originally recorded.
Key Takeaways
Jyothi Surekha Vennam's bronze at the 2025 Archery World Cup Final in Nanjing has been upgraded to silver by World Archery .
Mexico's Marina Bernal , 23 , was disqualified after testing positive for nandrolone in an out-of-competition test on 29 September 2025 .
Bernal did not challenge the offence and is banned until after the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics .
Great Britain's Ella Gibson has been awarded the bronze medal following the revised standings.
Jyothi is named in India's squad for Archery World Cup Stage 4 in Madrid , the final leg of the 2025 series.
India's top compound archer Jyothi Surekha Vennam has had her 2025 Archery World Cup Final bronze medal upgraded to silver by World Archery, the sport's global governing body, after Mexico's Marina Bernal was disqualified for violating anti-doping regulations. The revised standings were confirmed by World Archery on Monday, following a doping case that has also handed Great Britain's Ella Gibson the bronze medal.
How the Medal Upgrade Came About
Jyothi had originally finished third at the 2025 Archery World Cup Final held in Nanjing. The standings were revised after a doping sample collected from Bernal on 29 September 2025 returned a positive test for an anabolic steroid — nandrolone — in an out-of-competition test. The disqualification was carried out in accordance with World Archery Federation Rule 3.
The 23-year-old Bernal did not challenge the doping offence and is now banned from competitive archery until after the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. With Bernal's results nullified, Jyothi moves up to silver while Gibson claims the bronze.
What the Archery Association of India Said
According to information received from the Archery Association of India (AAI), the decision was officially confirmed by World Archery on Monday. The AAI communicated the development to the Indian contingent, marking a significant moment for Jyothi's decorated international career in compound archery.
Jyothi Heads to Madrid for World Cup Stage 4
The upgraded medal comes as Jyothi prepares for the next assignment on the global circuit. She has been named in India's national squad for the Archery World Cup Stage 4 in Madrid, the final stage of the 2025 World Cup series.
The Indian contingent for Madrid features a strong blend of experienced campaigners and emerging talent across recurve and compound disciplines. The full squad is as follows:
Recurve Men: Dhiraj Bommadevara, Neeraj Chauhan, Atanu Das
Recurve Women: Deepika Kumari, Kirti, Kummum Anil Mohod, Ankita Bhakat
Compound Men: Sahil Rajesh Jadhav, Kushal Dalal, Ganesh Thiru Muru, Rishabh Yadav
Compound Women: Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Taniparthi Chikitha, Prithika Pradeep, Parneet Kaur
Broader Context
This is not the first time medal standings at a major archery event have been revised due to a doping violation, but the upgrade is particularly significant for Indian compound archery, which has seen a sharp rise in global competitiveness in recent years. Jyothi has been among the country's most consistent performers on the World Cup circuit. Her silver at Nanjing adds to a growing list of podium finishes and reinforces India's standing in compound events ahead of the Paris-to-LA Olympic cycle.
With the Madrid stage approaching, India's archers will look to build on this momentum and secure strong finishes in the final World Cup leg of the year.
Point of View
But the delay underscores a structural problem with post-competition doping enforcement in archery — Bernal's sample was collected in September 2025 and the revision confirmed months later, meaning the original podium stood uncorrected in the public record for an extended period. For Jyothi, the silver is well-earned and overdue in its official recognition. More broadly, India's compound archery programme has quietly built one of its strongest international pipelines, yet it rarely gets the mainstream attention that recurve or Olympic disciplines command. A World Cup Final silver — even if arrived at via disqualification — is a reminder of how competitive Indian compound archers have become on the global stage.
NationPress
7 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Jyothi Surekha Vennam's medal upgraded from bronze to silver?
Jyothi's bronze at the 2025 Archery World Cup Final in Nanjing was upgraded to silver after Mexico's Marina Bernal was disqualified for testing positive for nandrolone, an anabolic steroid, in an out-of-competition test on 29 September 2025. World Archery confirmed the revised standings on Monday.
What doping violation led to Marina Bernal's disqualification?
Bernal tested positive for nandrolone, an anabolic steroid, in an out-of-competition test conducted on 29 September 2025. The disqualification was applied under World Archery Federation Rule 3, and Bernal did not challenge the offence.
How long is Marina Bernal banned from archery?
Bernal is banned from competitive archery until after the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, effectively ruling her out of the next Olympic cycle.
Who received the bronze medal after the standings were revised?
Great Britain's Ella Gibson was awarded the bronze medal following the revision of the 2025 Archery World Cup Final standings after Bernal's disqualification.
What is Jyothi Surekha Vennam's next competition?
Jyothi has been named in India's national squad for Archery World Cup Stage 4 in Madrid, the final stage of the 2025 World Cup series, where she will compete in the compound women's event.
