Randhir slams dope cheats, says they know about banned drugs

Randhir Singh on Tuesday slammed the claims of dope-tainted athletes.

New Delhi: Commonwealth Games Organising Committee Vice-Chairman Randhir Singh today dismissed the

claims of dope-tainted athletes that they were not aware of the banned substances and said that those guilty would be punished under anti-doping rules. Eighteen athletes from five sports recently tested positive for banned substances, at least 11 of them for methylhexanamine, and they have claimed that they were not told by the Federations about prohibited drugs. Randhir Singh, also Indian Olympic Association General Secretary, said the athletes were aware of prohibited drugs and there was no excuse for taking them. "Sports Authority of India and respective federations circulate about prohibited drugs. The team doctors know it and they must have informed the athletes," he told reporters. "It is very simple, you take the prohibited drugs or you don`t. If you take drugs the WADA rules are very tough. Everybody who takes banned drug will have to be punished. For first offence you are struck out for two years and for second offence you can be out for life," Randhir said. He said Indian athletes should learn from the "terrible" incident of weightlifting federation having to pay a hefty fine of USD 5 lakh to avoid international ban. "There was the terrible incident of weightlifting federation. We should not allow such thing to happen again," he said. PTI