CHENNAI: The Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWF) finds itself in the soup after Pramila Kirsani and Minati Sethi tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs at the October 11-16 Commonwealth Championships in Pune. According to international rules, three positive results in a calendar year lead to a one-year ban. India, with two thus far, need to keep a check on this ahead of next year’s Rio Olympics.
Pramila won silver in 53kg and Minati bronze in 58kg. Both tested positive for stanozolol, the anabolic steroid made ‘famous’ by disgraced sprinter Ben Johnson at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. While they’ve been provisionally banned — their names have been removed from the national squad for the November 20-28 World Championships in Houston — the IWF have formed a five-member committee to look into it.
“It’s a provisional ban. The B sample report hasn’t arrived yet. Both Pramila and Minati were tested by NADA on October 9. The reports were clean. The competition was on October 11 and both knew tests would take place. Why would they consume stanozolol? It takes at least six months to clear out of the system! This is a conspiracy against them and the federation,” IWF vice-president Sahdev Yadav told Express.
Pramila and Minati attended the Olympic Games preparatory camp at Patiala and hadn’t tested positive in domestic meets or out-of-competition tests.
“In the past, a number of Indian lifters have tested positive, but I’m certain these two are innocent. Thus, for the first time, we have formed a five-member committee to investigate the issue. There will be a hearing on December 3. In over 20 tests, they’ve never failed one. My concern is a four-year ban could end their careers,” he added.
This is not the first time the IWF has faced such a problem. The body was suspended in 2004, 2006 and 2009. India had to pay around `3 crore as penalty to the world body in order to compete in the 2010 Commonwealth Games.