Topic: News: Indian Lifters Test Positive Again and Again

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

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Present Doping Mess Due To Past Slack: Malleswari

NEW DELHI: Former Olympics bronze medallist Karnam Malleswari on Thursday said favouritism shown towards some of the previous doping culprits by the Indian Weightlifting Federation was to be blamed for the mess in which the sport in the country finds itself now. “Earlier, we had strict rules and we dreaded the ban. No one would be spared. But when some of the lifters were let off in the past without any punishment and given chance at the risk of country’s reputation, this is what one can expect,” country’s first weightlifting said.

“There was one lifter Rajvinder Singh, who was banned for life after she tested positive in junior nationals in Patiala in early ‘90s. But it was definitely a risk to stake the country’s reputation in the hands of lifters like P Shailaja and Pratima Kumari who have tainted records. In international events, when such cases happen, they don’t talk about Shailaja or Pratima, they say an Indian lifter is caught.”

Malleswari said she was appalled to know that B Prameela Valli, a bright prospect from her home state Andhra Pradesh, was also among those caught for doping offence. “We had recently felicitated Prameela at a function here. Maybe they have been doing this all along and have been caught only now.”

The two-time world champion lifter said doping incidences were increasing since 2000 and it might be due to the rise in popularity of the game after her Olympic glory. “Doping scandals are on the rise after 2000. Perhaps they are lured by the incentives. But it was a fruit of our hard labour for 15-16 years,” she said.

The Andhra lifter said those caught for doping offences must not be spared. “It is really so frustrating because junior lifters will suffer the most. The culprits deserve severe punishments. We’ve really worked hard to bring the country this far. These lifters did not have to struggle for recognition. They should also understand their responsibilities towards their juniors,” she said.

Malleswari, the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal, said it was dreadful to think of a two-to-five year ban from the International Weightlifting Federation. “Nothing could be worse than such a long ban. I’ve talked to Indian Weightlifting Federation president (HJ) Dora and requested him to do something about preventing it. The suspension period) shouldn’t be long,” she said.

Been there done that

2001: In the Asian Championships in Jeon Ju, Korea. Kunjarani Devi (48kg) tested positive

2002: In the Manchester  Commonwealth Games, Sateesha Rai (75 kg) and Krishnan Madasamy (62kg) test positive. Sateesha was stripped of his gold medal

2004: In the Asian Championship in Almaty, Sunaina Kumari (75 kg) test positive. Sanamachu Chanu (53kg), and Pratima Kumari (63kg) test positive during the Athens Olympics. Pratima accuses her coaches of having doped her

2006: On March 1, Shailaja Pujari (75kg) tests positive in a Wada test. On March 8, B Prameelavalli (63kg) tests positive in a Sports Authority of India test. Tejinder Singh (85 kg) and Edwin Raju (53kg) test positive at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

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Indian Weightlifting Federation Has No Explanation for Recurring Dope Shame

The Indian Weightlifting Federation seems to be lost for an explanation for the latest dope scandal to hit it resulting in a second ban in less than two years.

IWF President HJ Dora, also the Chef-de-mission of the Indian contingent to the Melbourne Commonwealth Games, was, on the one hand, basking in the glory of the splendid performance by the athletes, especially the lifters, and, on the other hand, hard pressed to react to various queries on the positive dope test of Edwin Raju and Tejinder Singh.

"Despite our best efforts, this scourge refuses to leave us. We thought the worst was behind us last year but it has come back to haunt us," Dora said.

He claimed the two lifters were tested negative before leaving for Melbourne and expressed surprise at the turn of events. Both of them tested positive for stanozole in Melbourne.

"I do not understand why these two lifters will take performance enhancing drugs when it does not improve their results in any way," the WFI president said.

Raju finished fourth in the 56 kg category while Tejinder withdrew from the 85 kg competition citing illness.

"The same was the case with Pujari Shailaja who would have got a gold medal lifting below her personal best. She did not need to resort to doping," Dora claimed.

He put the case of women lifter B Prameelavalli in the same category.

"The lifters had come out clean in WADA dope tests. None of them tested positive and nobody disappeared ahead of the tests.

"I had warned them that if they ran away from the tests, that would be the end of their careers. But they assured that they had nothing to hide and willingly underwent the tests," Dora said.

The IWF President also denied that the coaches had a hand in the wrongdoings.

"Why would a coach induce one or two lifters to use performance enhancing drugs? After all, it is the same coach for every athlete," he pointed out.

The Commonwealth Games Chef-de-mission also indirectly hinted at possible foul play in the recurring dopen saga.

"May be, there are certain elements who get jealous at our success at international competitions," he said.

But we cannot make such claims as we can never substantiate such claims, Dora said.

"The hospitality accorded to us in Melbourne was excellent. There were 15,000 volunteers who worked night and day without any monetary rewards. We cannot point a finger at them.

"But one never knows about the dope testing laboratories," he said.

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

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2 Indian Weightlifters Get Life Bans

Two Indian weightlifters received life bans Sunday after testing positive for steroids during last month's Commonwealth Games.

Edwin Raju and Tejinder Singh tested positive for stanozolol in Melbourne, Australia, leading to India's suspension from international competition.

The International Weightlifting Federation will decide in May on the length of India's suspension - which can stretch up to five years - after four of the country's lifters returned positive dope tests within two months.

A country with three positive test results within one year faces automatic bans and/or fines. Punishments are higher for a second breach. India earlier had been served a one-year suspension, which ended six months ago.

Two female lifters, Shailaja Pujari and B. Prameelavalli, tested positive just before the Commonwealth Games. Indian weightlifting authorities suspended Pujari and Prameelavalli for two years Sunday.

Indian weightlifters were stripped of gold medals for failed drug tests at the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games, with others banned from the 2004 Athens Olympics.

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

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Doping Menace Grips Weightlifting

Edwin Raju is the latest to join the long line of doping offenders.

He, along with Tejinder Kumar, tested positive for Stanozolol at the recent Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.

In an unprecedented step, the Indian Weightlifting Federation banned both for life, but there was more to the sordid doping saga in weightlifting.

Big medal hopes Shailaja Pujari and B Prameelavalli also tested positive before the Games, and were banned for two years each.

Doping cloud

In the past five years, 10 lifters have tested positive in all competitions starting with Kunjatrani Devi at the Asian Championships in 2001.

In the very next year, two male lifters Satheesha Rai and K Madasamy tested positive for Nandrolone at the Manchester Commonwealth Games.

And then at the Athens Olympics, Pratima Kumari and Sanamacha Chanu tested positive for testosterone and a diuretic respectively.

And finally in Melbourne, Edwin and Tejinder Singh tested positive for Stanozolol.

"Tejinder Singh was tested twice by WADA before going for the Commonwealth Games. He was also tested three times by the Sports Authority of India. But he tested negative all the five times," said Balbir Singh Bhatia, IWF General Secretary.

"In 2005, Shailaja Pujari was tested nine times, including three times in international competitions. Out of this, she tested negative seven times. She tested positive only in the last two tests - WADA and SAI," he added.

IWF concerned

The Federation now plans to make the athletes sign a bond, which would compel them to pay back whatever was invested in their training in case they test positive at an international event.

Harsh punishments and even calls for voluntary withdrawal before major tournaments have not proved enough to check prospective dope offenders.

"The only way out is education. But I personally feel that since it is a global problem, the International Olympic Committee should give it a re-look. These are killers. We know of so many sportspersons who have lost their lives," said K Jagannadha Rao, Senior Journalist.

So while it struggles for answers, the Indian Weightlifting Federation knows that it is now make-or-break time.

If there are any more positive dope tests this year, especially at the Asian games in December, it could bring about a ban that's as long as five years.

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

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Has the Indian federation jumped the gun again?

* The WADA Code states that for a first-time offence, the punishment would be two years ineligibility.
* The suspension period for the Indian federation would be known only in May.
* Premeelavalli's case is still being processed by the IWF.

NEW DELHI: Even before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has ruled that Tajinder Singh and Edwin Raju committed anti-doping rule violations, or the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) Court has imposed sanctions on them, the International Weightlifting Federation (WF) has suspended the Indian Weightlifting Federation.

On Sunday, not to be left behind in this "all-out drive against doping", the Indian federation imposed life-bans on Tajinder and Raju. At the same time it slapped two-year suspensions on woman lifters Shailaja Pujari and B. Premeelavalli, both of whom turned in `positives' during out of competition testing done by the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) at Patiala in February.

The suspension period for the Indian federation would be known only in May while the life-bans on Tajinder and Raju would come into effect after CAS delivers its verdict.

The last time, the Indian federation imposed life-bans on two of its lifters, Pratima Kumari and Sanamacha Chanu, who tested positive at the Athens Olympics, the bans had to be reduced to two years following advice from WADA.

The WADA Code states that for a first-time offence, the punishment would be two years ineligibility. Though there is no bar on any agency handing out a stiffer penalty, WADA's philosophy on the subject is too well known.

Deterrent action

"Such instances of doping bring a bad name to the country as a whole. We have to take deterrent action so that in future no one is tempted to resort to such practices. We were swayed by the decision taken in Mumbai in September 2004 that any doping rule violation in an international arena will attract life-ban," explained the President of the Indian federation, H.J. Dora, on Monday.

Have Tajinder and Raju been given a chance to present their side of the case before a properly-constituted hearing panel? The answer is `no', for, the hearing, if any, will have to be conducted by the International federation after it is informed of the violations by the CGF.

Before CGF gets the final verdict from CAS, it is in no position to impose sanctions or advise the international federation for follow-up action.

Perhaps all these are mere formalities to be gone through in such cases. But both the IWF and WADA give importance to the right of an athlete to a "timely, fair and impartial" hearing.

In this case, since the doping cases were reported in an international event, the IWF would be expected to initiate action. Raju came positive in an out of competition as well as `in competition' test, while Tajinder's positive came in an out of competition test in Melbourne.

The IWF has, in the meantime, imposed a two-year suspension on Pujari for the positive in a WADA-conducted test. It is not clear whether a hearing process had been gone through in her case or whether the lifter had been told of her right to request a hearing.

Fines

The Indian federation has been informed of the suspension and asked to pay a fine of $2,000 and another $900 towards costs for testing.

Premeelavalli's case is still being processed by the IWF. However, both Pujari and Premeelavalli have been suspended for two years by the Indian federation.

Asked why Tajinder's out-of-competition test was not being considered on par with those of Pujari and Premeelavalli and he being handed out a life-ban, as against the two-year suspensions for the women, Mr. Dora pointed out that Tajinder's positive came in an "international arena" and had to be treated differently.

Mr. Dora said that several proposals were made at Sunday's meeting to tackle doping in the sport in future and one of them pertained to a five-year ban for positive cases at home.

Even a life-ban for all dope positives, including out of competition tests done by the Sports Authority of India (SAI), was also proposed. He said that legal aspects would be looked into before taking a final decision.

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

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Indian Weightlifting Federation Banned for 2 Years

IMPHAL, April 24: Indian Weightlifting Federation joint secretary spoke to media persons today at Imphal Hotel on the performance of the Indian team in recently concluded 18th edition of Commonwealth games 2006 at Melbourne.

Federation joint secretary as well as manager of the Indian weightlifting contigent in Commonwealth Games Sunil Elangbam said that just as N Kunjarani and Sanamacha re-wrote the games record and won gold medalists in the 17th edition. This time around also senior lifter N Kunjarani re-wrote her game record of 17th edition once again. According to him some medal prospects among the women lifters were not included in the Indian team.

Sunil further said that international tournaments the world over will miss Indian weightlifters as the International Weightlifting Federation has imposed a two years ban on the Indian Weightlifting Federation as a result of doping cases against some Indain lifters in the last 2/3 edition of the Commonwealth games and Olympic games.

In the forthcoming National Games at Assam the Manipur weightlifting team will be led by N Kujarani and some international lifters will also be part of the Manipur team, revealed Sunil. But whether Th Renubala will represent her native state or not will depend on UP SAI and UP government giving permission to do so.

He also informed the media persons that the Manipur Olympic Association secretary BC singh has been made a member of the observer team of the Indian Olympic association for preparation of the 2010 Commonwealth games at New Delhi. He also said that the MOA will presue to sports minister Govindas Konthoujam to offer suitable job for Renubala.

[Jack Dluzen]

THOSE INDAINS JUST DONT GIVE UP ! LOL  :?

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

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Indian Weightlifting Officials Tamper With Their Lifters' Samples!
By Manish Kumar

DNA demystifies why athletes cleared at home are caught abroad: sample tampering.

NEW DELHI: The urine samples of Indian weightlifters Edwin Raju and Tejinder Singh, who were caught by the anti-doping inspectors in the Melbourne Commonwealth Games last month, were “purposely tampered by officials of the Sports Authority of India so that the two lifters’ passage to Australia was guaranteed from home”.

The disclosure was made to DNA by a national weightlifting coach in NIS Patiala, who was there at the preparation camp for the Games. The national coach, who didn’t want to be named fearing that SAI would victimise him, said: “Each time after a scandal, top officials of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWF) try to find a scapegoat — they blame the Anti-Doping Lab in New Delhi for not possessing international accreditation. First, let us stop bungling with the sample collection. Testing comes at a later stage.”

Incidentally, IOA president Suresh Kalmadi, after returning from Melbourne, had also blamed the Anti-Dope lab (DCC) in New Delhi. He had said in an interview to DNA: “It’s the fault of the lab — it needs to be accreditated.” In the 2004 Olympics, two top Indian women lifters, Pratima Kumari and Sanamacha Chanu, were caught in Athens despite being cleared by the SAI lab in Delhi.

DNA spoke to Pratima’s teammate in 2004 and Olympic bronze medalist Karnam Malleswari who said she was still baffled at how Pratima was caught in Athens when SAI’s test in Delhi had cleared her prior to departure. Malleswari, speaking from Andhra Pradesh, said: “Both of us were tested together in Athens but she was caught. However, prior to departure for Athens, she had been cleared in the test in India. I guess only the Anti-Dope lab (of the Sports Authority of India) which tested her in New Delhi can say how it happened despite that.”

The samples are collected by SAI’s field officials but at times people are also contracted for the purpose and thereafter the samples are taken without proper freezing facility for testing to Delhi which is almost 200-250km away. The result of the test is disclosed to only one official in SAI, its executive director MP Ganesh.

Ganesh told DNA that he does not suspect any foul play in the testing. “The report comes straight to me and nobody else is allowed to see the report.” But when he was informed about the sample tampering by DNA, he said: “We will have to look into it.”

The inquiry committee appointed to look into the CWG scandal has already taken notice of the manipulation in sample collection. The head of the inquiry committee and former president of the Indian Amateur Boxing Federation AK Mattoo said: “If that is the case then it is useless to talk about the lab being accredited. This is about a systematic network of people who are tampering with samples.”[/b]