Three more Indian weightlifters have tested positive for doping, taking the latest positive tests to five, and the national body is now facing another suspension. Male lifters Harbhajan Singh and Rajesh Kumar and female Bijaya Devi were caught in World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) tests at a training camp for the Commonwealth championships.
Repeat offenders Shailaja Pujari and Vicky Butta were slapped with life bans, while four others were barred for four years as the International Weightlifting Federation cracked the whip on Indian dope cheats.
A 29-member Indian squad on Monday left for Malaysia to take part in the Commonwealth Senior and Junior Weightlifting Championships in the backdrop of a series of dope flunks which left the national federation with the prospect of being banned internationally.
Tainted lifters Shailaja Pujari and Vicky Batta failed dope tests again and face life bans, the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWF) confirmed on Monday. IWF secretary B R Gulati said woman lifter Shailaja (75kg) and her male counterpart Vicky (56kg) tested positive for banned substances during random testing.
The banned substance Stanozol was found in the weightlifter's sample after a random out-of-competition test by WADA.
Dope-tainted lifter Shailaja Pujari, who is facing a life ban after flunking a National Anti-Doping Agency test recently, on Thursday pleaded her innocence. Shailaja, who competes in 75-kg category, was found by the NADA positive for an anabolic steroid.
The ban prevents India from taking part in the weightlifting competition at December's Asian Games.
Weightlifter L Monika Devi was on Tuesday unanimously chosen ahead of Shailaja Pujari to represent the country at the Beijing Olympic Games after a selection trial in Bangalore, bringing to an end a selection controversy and allegations of bribery. Monika, who won a silver and two bronze medals at the Asian Championships in Japan, in April-May, to book the lone berth for India, will compete in the 69kg category while Shailaja (75kg) will be the reserve lifter.
Accused of bribing her way to the Beijing Olympics, weightlifter Shailaja Pujari on Wednesday broke her silence by dismissing charges of corruption and claimed she is the "right candidate" for the Games. She also said selecting any other weightlifter in her place for the competition would be the violation of the rules of International Weightlifting Federation.
Both tested positive for banned substances at the Commonwealth Games.
Shailaja Pujari is believed to have returned a positive test following random out-of-competition testing by WADA officials.
Shailaja Pujari won a bronze medal in the snatch and silver in the clean and jerk at the Asian Weightlifting Championships.
The Commonwealth Games gold medallist was barred from international competition for a positive dope test.
Shailaja, who won the women's up to 75 kg gold in Manchester, gave the positive test at a junior national meet in January
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