Chanu faces life ban after positive 'B' sample

Dope-tainted weightlifter Sanamacha Chanu faces a life ban after her 'B' sample test, conducted by the National Anti-Doping Agency, also turned out positive for a banned stimulant.

The 'A' sample of 31-year-old Chanu, one of the most successful woman weightlifters in the country, which was taken during the trials for the Commonwealth Games in August had tested positive for methylhexaneamine.

This is the second dope offence for Chanu, a former Asian champion and 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games gold medallist, following her dope flunk at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Chanu was added in the Commonwealth Games' Core Group of lifters in

August 2009 after serving out a two-year ban. She, however, could not make it to the Commonwealth Games team as she could manage only third place, totaling 172kg, in a three-woman field 53kg category trials in Delhi in August.

"Chanu's 'B' sample has also come out to be positive for methylhexaneamine. We have sent the notice to Chanu and Indian Weightlifting Federation. We will fix a date for her if she wants to appear before the NADA disciplinary panel," NADA Director General Rahul Bhatnagar said.

The dope flunk came days after the Indian Weightlifting Federation completed payment of a hefty US $500,000 fine to the international body after six of its lifters failed WADA dope tests that were conducted last September.

The country's lifters were allowed to take part in next month's Commonwealth Games after the CWG OC gave the IWF an interest-free loan of Rs 1.75 crore to pay the remaining two installments of the US $500,000 fine by August 31.

Chanu, Arjuna Award winner in 2000, had earlier tested positive for a diuretic at the Athens Olympics in 2004 and was handed a two-year ban.

Meanwhile, Bhatnagar said a team of WADA officials visited the National Institute of Sports at Patiala, where Commonwealth Games-bound boxers, weightlifters, wrestlers and athletes are camping, and took 20 samples last weekend.

"A WADA team came down to Patiala at the weekend and they had taken 20 samples. WADA people visit the country once in a a year and since Commonwealth Games in being held here they might have just thought of coming here at this time," Bhatnagar said.