Back in Delhi, one question: How?

Lifters tested five times in recent weeks, all were clean yet two slipped through the net

Lifters tested five times in recent weeks, all were clean yet two slipped through the net

The two positive cases has left the Sports Ministry as puzzled as the Sports Authority of India. The concern was natural because all the weightlifters were tested five times before they boarded the flight to Melbourne: Twice by the World Anti-Doping Agency WADA and three times by SAI. The tests were at Yamunanagar on December 29 during the nationals, at Patiala on February 8 during the national camp and, finally, on February 28, a week before the first batch, which included lifters, left for the Games.

The last result of the February 28 test came to be known after three days and, according to a SAI official, none was reported positive.

So how did the lifters test positive at Melbourne? This is the question the Ministry has asked SAI. In a probe ordered soon after the news filtered in, Ministry joint secretary S Krishnan 8212; who is also in charge of the Dope Control Centre at Nehru Stadium 8212; asked SAI to explain how the two lifters tested positive after being cleared by it.

Meanwhile, some SAI officials pointed out that the lifters may have taken some drugs during the intervening days 8212; that is, between the test on February 28 and departure for Melbourne.

That is a possibility because something similar happened in the case of Pratima Kumari and Sanamacha Chanu and before that thrower Seema Antil in 2001. All of them had been cleared by SAI prior to their departure but they had all turned positive during the pre-event tests or after the event. But then the two lifters, particularly Pratima, had alleged that at the behest of the then foreign coach, Leonid Taranenko, they had taken some injections. However, one exception was lifter Krishnan Madaswamy, whose test at Manchester turned positive. But his test at the SAI lab before departure was faulty 8212; then DG Shekhar Dutt has gone on record as admitting so to this paper 8212; after the labels got mixed.