<p>“The Indian Weightlifting Federation has requested the Indian Olympic Association to take appropriate action and fresh elections will be held soon,” IOA President Suresh Kalmadi said in a statement.<br /><br />Under intense pressure from Sports Minister MS Gill and the IOA following a series of positive dope tests by country’s lifters, entire executive committee of the Indian Weightlifting Federation resigned during its emergency meeting here on Monday.<br /><br />The International Weightlifting Federation will decide on India’s fate in its Executive Board meeting in Korea on Wednesday after eight lifters returned positive for banned substances in out-of-competition tests, six of them in tests conducted by the World Anti-Doping Agency.<br />Under international rules, a national body may be handed a maximum of four-year ban with fines if three or more lifters return positive for banned substances in a calendar year.<br /><br />If a ban of more than a year is imposed, India will have to face the ignominy of being barred from fielding its lifters in the October 3 to 14, 2010 Commonwealth Games here.<br /><br />Kalmadi said even the international body had recommended fresh elections in the IWF.<br />“The International Weightlifting Federation President had told the Indian Olympic Association to withdraw the IWF leadership and call fresh elections,” he said.</p>
<p>“The Indian Weightlifting Federation has requested the Indian Olympic Association to take appropriate action and fresh elections will be held soon,” IOA President Suresh Kalmadi said in a statement.<br /><br />Under intense pressure from Sports Minister MS Gill and the IOA following a series of positive dope tests by country’s lifters, entire executive committee of the Indian Weightlifting Federation resigned during its emergency meeting here on Monday.<br /><br />The International Weightlifting Federation will decide on India’s fate in its Executive Board meeting in Korea on Wednesday after eight lifters returned positive for banned substances in out-of-competition tests, six of them in tests conducted by the World Anti-Doping Agency.<br />Under international rules, a national body may be handed a maximum of four-year ban with fines if three or more lifters return positive for banned substances in a calendar year.<br /><br />If a ban of more than a year is imposed, India will have to face the ignominy of being barred from fielding its lifters in the October 3 to 14, 2010 Commonwealth Games here.<br /><br />Kalmadi said even the international body had recommended fresh elections in the IWF.<br />“The International Weightlifting Federation President had told the Indian Olympic Association to withdraw the IWF leadership and call fresh elections,” he said.</p>
