Monika's 'B' sample tests positive, faces ban

The 'B' sample test of Manipuri weightlifter Monika Devi, who was stopped from taking part in Beijing Olympics on dope charges, has returned positive for a banned substance in a WADA-accredited laboratory in Tokyo.

Monika's 'B' sample was sent for testing in Tokyo by the Sports Ministry on the recommendation of T S Krishnamurthy Commission report which was set up to look into the doping episode.

The 28-year-old lifter's 'A' sample had an "adverse analytical finding" which cost her a chance to take part in Beijing Olympics and sparked protests in her home state.

Under the normal procedure, any lifter who wants his/her 'B' sample tested should bear the cost but in Monika's case the Sports Ministry footed the bill and a representative of the 69 kg lifter also travelled to Tokyo on government expenses, top sources told PTI.

"The decision of SAI to stop her from going to Beijing has come to be correct as Monika's B sample test in Tokyo lab has returned positive for a banned substance. Nobody is speaking about it now because a case is pending in the Delhi High Court," a top source said.

Indian Weightlifting Federation officials would not confirm the dope positive result as the matter is sub judice but it is learnt that the IWF has received a letter from the National Dope Testing Laboratory in this regard.

Monika will now attract automatic two-year ban from the IWF as this is her first dope offence and it will virtually rule her out of the 2010 Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games in Guangzhou in China next year.

Monika had filed a case before the Delhi High Court praying for quashing the dope result of her 'A' sample which had stopped her from going to Beijing on the ground that the authorities had not followed the WADA rules.

As per the WADA rule, an athlete is entitled to know the result of sample 'A' within 10 days from the date when the sample was given but she was not informed by the officials, Monika had said.

The officials should have maintained the sample 'A' result confidential but they revealed the information to media which is against the WADA rule, she had contended in her petition.

The High Court has issued notices to Sports Ministry, NDTL, SAI and IWF and the case is coming up for hearing on April 2.

Monika was subjected to four sample tests last year -- on June 6, June 29, July 15 and July 28 and SAI had submitted before the Krishnamurthy Commission that the first and last tests were found to have returned positive for banned substances.

The two samples of June 29 and July 15 found 'no banned substance detected'.

The probe by Krishnamurthy did not find any violation of procedure in the whole testing process but stated the delay in conveying the test results to Monika was "unpardonable".

He had also said the controversy could have been avoided had there been unity of purpose among the authorities concerned.