WFI thinks positive while hoping for negative

With less than three weeks to go for the Commonwealth games at Melbourne, officials of the Weightlifting Federation of India WFI are keepi...

With less than three weeks to go for the Commonwealth games at Melbourne, officials of the Weightlifting Federation of India WFI are keeping their fingers crossed against yet another dope outing. Given India8217;s recent track record, and recent behaviour of lifters, even crossed fingers may not be enough to prevent the inevitable.

Over the past two months three lifters have been tested 8212; two by the Sports Authority of India and one by the World Anti-Doping Agency, the latter prior to the trials in Patiala for Melbourne. All three are top lifters and medal prospects in Melbourne.

The frequency of the testing indicates that lifters are the most sought after when it comes to doping in sports.

So far, there hasn8217;t been any reports of positive testing but it8217;s a fine line. Last year, after serving a one-year ban, the WFI was taken aback when one lifter 8212; Tamil Nadu8217;s Vinod Kumar 8212; tested positive just before the team left for the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships in October. Vinod got a two-year ban and was dropped from the team.

More recently, the good work of the national squad at the Asian Championships in September 8212; India won 30 medals 8212; was overshadowed by news of the senior lifters running away from the camp in Bangalore when international officials came to collect samples.

The WFI, struggling to rebuild its image, heaved a sigh of relief when the International Weightlifting Federation let if off lightly. It only received a 5,000 fine, which it promptly transferred to the lifters.

But that8217;s also what is adding to the WFI8217;s tension: Six of the seven who ran away are in the squad for the Melbourne. One of them, Satheesha Rai, had tested positive for stimulants during the Manchester Commonwealth Games and, apart from losing his medals, also received a six-month ban.

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He was also disqualified from participating in the next Games but got a reprieve when the Commonwealth Games Federation rules were replaced by WADA8217;s code of conduct in January 2004.

The next few days will prove vital for India8217;s weightlifting hopes. There will be a lot of positives if the three lifters test negative.