India hasn’t appealed against athletes’ expulsion, says CGF

India’s K. T. Irfan and V. Rakesh Babu were ejected from the Games for violating the no-needle policy.

Any appeal would have to go through the Court of Arbitration for Sports, clarified CGF chief executive David Grevemberg.

India hasn’t yet appealed against the expulsion of two athletes from the Commonwealth Games for violating the no-needle policy, according to the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF).

Addressing the media on Saturday, CGF chief executive David Grevemberg said, “I have not received an appeal, and such an appeal would go through the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Regardless of the needle, there is a no-needle policy. There is a clear policy, there was a breach of that policy and this isn’t an isolated case (involving India), as we all know.”

Appeal 'can't be rushed'

A source in the Indian contingent confirmed an appeal is indeed pending. “The recommendation is for an appeal but we have to seek proper legal opinion before going ahead with it. It can’t be rushed otherwise it will fall apart,” an official told PTI .

Race walker K. T. Irfan and triple jumper V. Rakesh Babu were sent home on Friday night after their explanation for having a syringe in their room was declared “evasive and unreliable” by the CGF court.

The Athletics Federation of India has formed a panel to investigate the matter and has promised to take severe action against the two if found guilty after the investigation.

Irfan and Babu’s Commonwealth Games campaign had ended before they were asked to leave the Games. While Irfan had finished 13th in the 20km race walk, Babu had injured his knee during the triple jump qualifiers to be ruled out of the finals.