Kalmadi says IOA won't pay weightlifting fine

Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Suresh Kalmadi on Tuesday ruled out giving any monetary assistance to the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWF) in paying the US$ 375,000 fine to the game's world body because it is related to doping.

He, however, said that he will facilitate in raising the money from "outside sources" so that Indian weightlifters can participate in the upcoming Commonwealth Games to be held here from October 3-14.

Kalmadi, also the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (OC) chairman, said that IOA would ask the International Weightlifting Federation to reduce the fine as it is imposing "a fantastic amount".

"The question has been why the Indian Olympic Association is not paying the fine. You see it is a dope thing. And we can't give money for dope. There is International Olympic Council (which will disapprove it). We can't pay money for dope charges," Kalmadi said.

"We are talking to IOC and International Weightlifting Federation. We are asking the international federation to reduce the fine because they are charging a fantastic amount as fine. Nobody pays such a huge money," he said.

Kalmadi said he hopes the matter would be sorted out before the August 31 deadline.

"We made the deadline postponed (of paying the fine) from July 31 to August 31. We will help the Indian Weightlifting in raising the money from outside. Hopefully we are able to achieve something by August 31," he said.

Out of the $500,000 fine imposed by the International Weightlifting Federation after six Indian lifters flunked dope tests conducted by WADA in September last year, IWF is yet to pay $375,000 apart from individual fines and 'B' sample testing charges amounting to another $31,000.

IWF has already paid $125,000 from its own resources in two instalments and if the remaining amount is not paid by August 31, Indian lifters will be barred from taking part in international events, including the Delhi Games and the Asian Games in Guangzhou, China in November.

The Sports Ministry had recently asked the IOA and Commonwealth Games OC to take up the matter with the International Weightlifting Federation for reduction of penalty amount and rescheduling of payment.