
Top lifters in dope net, Commonwealth event preparations in jeopardy
More than 10 top weightlifters, including a 2010 Commonwealth Games gold medallist, have tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs, dealing a huge blow to the Indian team’s preparations ahead of the Commonwealth Championships (senior and junior) at Apia, Samoa from July 9-14.
The lifters have been asked to leave the national camp in Patiala and barred from the May 21 Commonwealth Championships selection trials. They have provisionally been suspended and if proven guilty, will be banned for four years. A good showing at the Commonwealth Championships would have helped them graduate to the ‘core group’, which will compete at the World Championships in Pattaya, Thailand (September 16-25) for crucial ranking points to qualify for the 2020 Olympic Games.
The number of positive cases is expected to rise as the analysis of some samples—collected during the National Championships at Visakhapatnam from February 21-28—is still pending. The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) had collected more than 30 urine samples during the nationals.
Indian lifters traditionally dominate the Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth Championships. At the 2018 Gold Coast Games, India had won five gold, two silver and an equal number of bronze medals.
As per the Indian Weightlifting Federation’s (IWF) anti-doping policy, the lifters might also have to pay a fine of ~50,000 each. The federation also debars a state unit if more than two lifters fail dope tests in a calendar year. The ban can be lifted by paying a penalty of ~1 lakh. There have been instances where coaches of individual lifters have also been banned.
IWF secretary-general, Sahdev Yadav, said the federation was contemplating “even stricter rules” . “We will make it mandatory for state units to submit the whereabouts of athletes participating at the national level. The list will be given to NADA. Hopefully, it will give results,” said Yadav. “Some top lifters at the national camp in Patiala had gone home for different reasons. We have taken a serious view of this. I’m waiting for NADA’s report,” he added.
Despite these measures, weightlifting continues to top the doping charts. In 2015, more than 20 lifters, including school- and college-going children had failed dope tests.

Fifty years of the Fight: How Ali Vs Frazier changed boxing

Veteran Indian athlete Ishar Singh Deol dies at 91

Manish Kaushik wins gold, India boxers impress in Spanish tournament
- Seven of India’s nine Tokyo Olympics-bound boxers won medals, some of them beating world class boxers. Manish Kaushik (63kg) was the star as he made an impressive return from injury–tear in the biceps required surgery in May—and won gold in his first event after the tough recovery phase.

COVID-19 hits Indian boxers in Spanish tourney, three forced out of finals

Blachowicz, Nunes keep belts at UFC 259; Sterling wins on DQ

Need to make marathon culture and popular event in India: Rijiju

Vinesh wins gold, reclaims number one rank

Sudha Singh, mourning coach Snesarev, chases Tokyo berth in New Delhi marathon
- The Belarusian coach, who mentored India’s top women distance runners to international medals, was found dead at NIS Patiala on Friday

Olympic-bound athletes to get vaccinated first: Rijiju

Para athlete Vinod Kumar tests COVID positive, shifted to Bengaluru hospital

Vikas, Manish among six Indian male boxers in final of Boxam International

'Miracle on Ice' star Mark Pavelich dies at treatment home
- Officials in Anoka County, Minnesota, confirmed Friday that Pavelich died at the Eagle's Healing Nest in Sauk Centre, Minnesota, on Thursday morning. The cause and manner of death are still pending.

EXCLUSIVE | Islam Makhachev recalls 'hard sparring' with Khabib Nurmagomedov
- Makhachev has an impressive record of 18 wins and only one loss and is a former teammate of retired lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.
_Boxers_Pawan_Goyat,_Suman,_Chandni_and_Nawis_Mohammadi_pose_with_LZ_promotions_CEO_Parm_Goraya_(centre)_on_the_eve_of_'India_unleashed-Fight_Night'_inaugural_press_conference_at_Press_club,_Delhi_on_Friday_1614963795464_1614963800110.jpg)
Professional boxing to get a pro touch for the first time
- ‘India Unleashed’, an event sanctioned by the Indian Boxing Commission (IBC), Goraya wants to rope in changes with USA styled boxing format and help ring in the changes for professional boxing in India.
