The Sports Ministry has taken strong exception to the 'shocking' doping incidents at the Athens Games and terminated the services of the national weightlifting coaches Leonid Taranenko of Belarus and Pal Singh Sandhu on Tuesday.
"The Government has terminated the contract of Leonid Taranenko, foreign coach engaged for weightlifting and the engagement of Pal Singh Sandhu, National Weightlifting coach with immediate effect," a ministry press statement said on Tuesday.
The statement also said that the doping offence by two of the four weightlifters (Pratima Kumari and Sanamacha Chanu) in Athens has prompted the ministry to take such stringent action.
"This decision has been taken keeping in view the incidents of doping which have come to light during Athens Olympics 2004. The Government has lost confidence in the two coaches in the wake of these incidents," said the statement.
Ministry officials also said that in future, the tainted coaches would never be called upon to impart coaching at any of the national camps. "It's for life," said an official.