With no cash to pay fine, lifters may not take part

Under normal circumstances, India would be looking at weightlifting, one of only five sports that have produced individual Olympic medalists for the country, as a happy hunting ground for medals in the first ever Commonwealth Games on home soil. Saurabh Duggal reports.

Under normal circumstances, India would be looking at weightlifting, one of only five sports that have produced individual Olympic medalists for the country, as a happy hunting ground for medals in the first ever Commonwealth Games on home soil.

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But it's entirely possible the October mega-event will feature no Indian lifters at all.

The Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWF) was banned from entering international competition in 2009, after five lifters tested positive for banned substances.

The IWF was later informed they could reenter international competition by paying a fine of $500,000 (R 2.3 crores) to the International Weightlifting Federation. But the IWF only had enough in its coffers to pay 125,000 US dollars (R58 lakhs).

Sahdev Yadav, secretary general of the IWF said, "For the remaining amount of $375,000 (R1.73 crore), we have requested the Sports Authority of India and the Indian Olympic Association to give us a loan, but we still have not heard from them. The last date for depositing the fine is August 30."