Indian lifters cleared for SAF Games

The IWF had imposed the fine on the Indian Weightlifting Federation after six lifters had flunked dope tests conducted by WADA and NADA in September last year.

“When the fine was imposed on India, the SAF Games was knocking at the door, so the Indian federation did not get much time and paid the first installment,” Indian Olympic Association secretary-general Randhir Singh said.

“The IWF has sent letters to its Indian counterpart, IOA, Asian Weightlifting Federation and also the SAF Games asuthority informing the eligibility criteria of the Indian lifters’ in the Dhaka event,” he added.

The IWF had cracked the whip and banned Shailaja Pujari for life, imposed a fine of $5,500 on Vicky Butta and Harbhajan Singh and $5,000 on four other lifters — Rajesh Singh (Madhya Pradesh), Sunita Rani (Punjab), A Vijayadevi (Jharkhand) and Pujari.

“In any case, the Indian federation has to pay the whole amount of $500,00 before the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in order to participate there. Now the Indian federation and the international body will work out the timeframe, number and amounts of installments to be paid,” Randhir said.