India escape ban, fined USD 5,00,000 for doping fiasco

New Delhi: Clearing the way for Indian weightlifters` participation in the Commonwealth Games, the

game`s governing body has decided against imposing a ban on the Indian Weightlifting Federation and let it off with a USD 500,000 fine. Indian Federation was facing a ban as six of its lifters had flunked dope tests conducted by WADA and NADA, September last year. "The International Weightlifting Federation today fined us USD 5,00,000 which comes to around Rs three crore. We are relieved that at least we have not been banned and once we pay the fine our team can participate in the Commonwealth Games in October," Sahdev Yadav, Indian Weighlifting Federation general secretary, told PTI. Yadav, however, was not happy with the late communication of the decision to them as it was taken two months ago in the executive board meeting but conveyed to them only today. "The decision was taken on November 21, 2009 but we were informed today. I feel the international body could have informed us earlier. Rs three crore is a huge sum of money which can`t be paid so easily," he said. Yadav also said they will request the international body to either reduce the penalty or allow them to pay it in installments. "We would request the international body to reduce the amount or allow us to pay the fine in instalments in 2-3 years. We are also in talks with the IOA and sport ministry in this regard," he said. Yadav also said that India now can not participate in the South Asian Games in Dhaka. "The six-member Indian team was supposed to leave on January 27 for Dhaka but now they won`t be travelling. We have to pay the fine first and only after that India can participate in any international tournament," he said. The IWF officials had resigned en masse after six lifters tested positive for banned substances at the Pune national camp before the World Championships in China last year. The International body cracked the whip on the offenders and banned Shailaja Pujari for life, imposed a fine of USD 5,500 on Vicky Butta and Harbhajan Singh and USD 5,000 on four other lifters -- Rajesh Singh (Madhya Pradesh), Sunita Rani (Punjab), A Vijayadevi (Jharkhand) and Pujari. India has been embarrassed repeatedly due to dope offenders and the federation had been banned in 2004 and 2006. PTI