Indian lifters fail doping test

Indian weightlifters have tested positive in previous games

The Commonwealth Games Federation has confirmed that two Indian weightlifters have tested positive for the banned substance stanozolol.

The CGF will not name the lifters until their case has been heard by an ad hoc division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport on Saturday.

India could now be banned from lifting events abroad for up to five years.

CGF president Mike Fennell said: "I can confirm there have been two positive drugs tests."

Fennell added that one of the athletes had competed at the Games but did not win a medal while the other withdrew before the competition started. The weightlifters were tested before the Games began.

The president of the Indian Weightlifting Federation and India's chef de mission HJ Dora said drug use would not be tolerated.

"The Indian Weightlifting Federation has already taken very serious measures regarding doping," he said in a statement.

"The federation's bylaws are very clear that if any athlete is found positive in an international competition they will be subject to a life-ban."

But he added that he wanted to check the testing procedures by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

Satheesha Rai has tested positive in previous games

"We are determined to ensure that the testing process is fully scrutinized as the athletes in question have been subject to three rounds of dope testing in the past month which have all been negative," Dora said.

The president of the CGF Mike Hooper revealed that the positive results for the A samples for the duo were received on Saturday and the CGF medical commission and the CGF court were advised.

The Indian team were notified on Sunday and the following day the athletes requested a B sample to be taken.

The positive results of the B samples were received on Thursday.

According to International Weightlifting Federation rules, any country which has three positive doping cases in one year will face bans from international competitions and/or fines.

Last month, another Indian weightlifter was dropped from the Commonwealth squad after failing a drugs test.

In the 2004 Athens Olympics, Indian weightlifters Pratima Kumari and Sanamacha Chanu failed two doping tests. India was banned from all international weightlifting competitions for one year.

The Melbourne games are the first major competition for Indian weightlifters since then. Reports say penalties would be tougher for a second-time offence.

At the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, UK, two Indian weightlifters failed doping tests.