New Delhi: The negative publicity
surrounding the series of dope flunks by lifters has forced
the Indian Weightlifting Federation to forfeit itself the
right to host Asian Youth and Junior Championships in
December, a top official of the federation said today.
The Asian Youth and Junior Championships was scheduled to
be held in Pune from December 16-24 but now the IWF has
requested the Asian body to shift the event out of India.
IWF General Secretary Baldev Raj Gulati said the
federation does not expect sponsorship as well as government
support because of dope results and the Asian Weightlifting
Federation has accepted its request to hold the event in
another country.
"There has been a lot of negative publicity going around
in the wake of dope results. We don't expect government
support as well as help from small sponsors. Without them we
can't hold the event. So we have told the Asian federation
that we are not in a position to hold it. It has accepted our
request," Gulati said.
Five lifters flunked out-of-competition dope tests
conducted by World Anti-Doping Agency last month and if at
least three 'B' samples returned positive, IWF faces the
prospect of an international ban.
The Indian case is certain to be in the agenda of the
Executive Meeting of the International Weightlifting
Federation before the November 17-29 World Championships in
Goyang city in Korea.
Gulati though is hoping for the best so that the country
does not face the ignominy of not fielding any lifters in the
Commonwealth Games here next October.
"We are hoping for the best when the international
federation meets in Korea. The maximum penalty is four years
but they may impose a hefty fine and a ban for a shorter
period," he said.
Meanwhile, three of the five lifters who tested positive
under WADA have informed that they would be going for the 'B'
sample test. Two have yet to inform the federation though the
deadline to do so ends today.
"Three lifters have informed in writing that they want
the 'B' sample test. The test will be conducted in the
WADA-accredited laboratory in Cologne in Germany as under WADA
rules the 'B' sample tests will also be conducted at the same
laboratory where the 'A' sample tests were done," Gulati said.
Gulati also made it clear that none of the seven lifters
were campers preparing for the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
"None of the seven are in the Commonwealth Games camps. A
couple of them were selected in the last induction for the
camps but they, including Shailaja Pujari, have not joined the
camp," he said.
Shailaja and another dope offender Seepana Yamini were
dropped from the country's squad for the Commonwealth
Championships in Malaysia last week in which India won 27
medals including 17 gold.
Bureau Report
First Published: Tuesday, October 27, 2009, 15:44