Indian boxers cleared of doping charges at Commonwealth

The Indian boxers have been cleared of any doping violation, but could face punishment for breaching the Games’ strict ‘no needle’ policy.

Indian contingent during the flag-hoisting ceremony at the Commonwealth Games athletes' village.

In a huge relief for India’s Commonwealth Games contingent, its boxers were cleared of any doping violation, but they still face punishment for breaching the Games’ strict ‘no needle’ policy.

The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) though continued to avoid naming the country involved in the matter, which is highly suspected to be India.

The concerned Commonwealth Games Association has been summoned for a hearing on Tuesday, said the CGF, but clarified that there was no doping offence involved in the matter.

The CGF ‘no needle policy’ prohibits the administration of injections without strong medical support. The policy is relaxed only for athletes requiring prescribed medication or nutritional supplements under the supervision of a medical practitioner.

Read: India denies doping at CWG after needle find

However, the CGF insists that athletes should take prior permissions, failing which can result in unspecified sanctions. A hearing will now take place in front of the CGF’s Federation Court, the organisation’s disciplinary body, to determine a possible punishment.

Prior to the CGF meeting here, there was a feeling that the Indian contingent could be in trouble amid reports that its boxers possessed syringes in violation of the event’s ‘no needle policy’.

CGF CEO David Grevemberg, in a press conference earlier in the day, said it had initiated an investigation into the matter but did not name India as the target of the probe.

Grevemberg said the CGF was in talks with the concerned Commonwealth Games Association amid spiralling speculation that Indian boxers are the ones under the scanner in this case.

The Games are due to start April 5 after an opening ceremony on April 4.

“That CGA has now been summoned to engage in a meeting with our medical commission later today (Monday 2 April),” Grevemberg had said.

The Indian contingent has been insistent that there has been no wrongdoing on its part.

After claiming that the syringes found could have belonged to other teams who are staying in the same compound of the Games village, a top official on Monday confirmed that the recovery was indeed made from an Indian but denied any dope violation.

“There has been no doping violation because the syringe had been used to inject multi-vitamins. The boxers have been tested and had there been a violation, we would have known by now,” a top official in the Indian contingent had told PTI.

“We are now waiting for what the CGF decides.”

The CGF CEO had said sanctions would be in order depending on the explanations put forth by the concerned unidentified Commonwealth Games Association.

“The report (of the medical commission) will include the testimony of the concerned CGA and that will be put forward to our federation court for further deliberation to determine the appropriate sanction.”

Games organising committee chairman Peter Beattie had insisted that the matter would be dealt with transparency.

“There will be transparency and nothing will be covered up,” he had said.