India has been put to shame yet again with the official confirmation that two of country's weightlifter -- Tejinder Singh and Edwin Raju -- have tested positive at the 18th Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.
The Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWF) is now likely to go the Nigerian way as a ban on it by the International body is imminent. The ban can be from one year to five year.
As per the rules of the International body if three or more lifters of any country are tested positive in one year then that country faces a ban ranging from one to five years.
Nigerian Weightlifting Federation has also been banned because of these reasons.
The worst fears came true as the positive tests were confirmed on Thursday and the Indian officials, who held a lavish party in Melbourne last night to celebrate the hosting of the Games in 2010 in Delhi, were left red-faced, trying to hide the shame inflicted on the country by the weightlifters.
While Tejinder withdrew from the competition at the last moment, Edwin had finished fourth in his category.
This is the second time in row that the Indian party was ruined by the weightlifters in the Commonwealth Games. Last time country's reputation was tarnished by the lifters in 2002 at Manchester.
"Yes, we can confirm that two weightlifters from India have tested positive but because of protocol their names can not be disclosed," said Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) chairman Mike Fennell.
"The 'B' sample of these two lifters has also been found positive," he told a packed media conference and added, "This information has been conveyed to the chef-de-mission of Indian Contingent Mr H J Dora."
Fennell also said that of the two lifters, one did not take part in the competition, thus confirming the doubts about Tejinder and Edwin.
"The announcement is made after completing all the necessary procedures," added CGF's chief executive Mike Hooper.
Yesterday it was disclosed that Tejinder, who withdrew from the Games at the last minute on Monday, has tested positive but the Indian contested the positive drug result and appealed to the Court of Arbitration of Sport.
Other lifter under the scanner was Edwin, who had finished 4th in the 56 kg category. The CGF confirmed all these reports and put its seal on them by saying that lifters 'B' sample have also tested positive.
Under drug-testing rules, athletes who test positive during Games testing, which started when the athlete village opened, are suspended until their hearing is complete.
Any athlete choosing to contest the initial result can demand to be present during the opening of the 'B' sample at a Sydney laboratory.
The sample took another 48 hours to analyse and after confirmation, the CGF made the announcement.
The Australian Sports Authority has been conducting more than 1000 tests, including at least 300 blood tests, as part of the Games testing on behalf of the Commonwealth Games Federation.
(UNI)
