National Games dope cheats risk stripping of medals

National Anti-Doping Agency Director General Rahul Bhatnagar told PTI that the 'B' samples of all the 13 athletes have returned positive for banned drugs. Their 'A' samples returned positive last month.

"The 'B' samples of all the 13 athletes have also tested positive. They have been notified and dates for hearings before a NADA panel will be fixed. We are thinking of releasing the names of these athletes as under rules we can do it now," Bhatnagar said.

"The medal winners among the 13 would be stripped off their medals once the NADA panel decides on the punishment," he said.

Out of the 13, nine tested positive for stimulant methylhexaneamine which was the main banned drug involved in the doping incident of Indian athletes prior to the Commonwealth Games last year.

Two boxers, two track and field athletes, two rowers, one taekwondo player, one cyclist and one basketball player tested positive for methylhexaneamine.

One wrestler and another track and field athlete tested positive for anabolic steroid stanozolol and two equestrian players were caught for sabutamol-beta-2 doping.

A total of 308 samples pertaining to all disciplines were collected as per the Test Distribution Plan prepared by NADA and Indian Olympic Association during the National Games held in Ranchi, Jamshedpur and Dhanabad in February.