Chanu's 'B' sample tests positive, faces life ban

The 'A' sample of 31-year-old Chanu, one of the most successful woman weightlifters in the country, which was taken during the trials for the Commonwealth Games here last month had tested positive for methylhexaneamine.

This is the second dope offence for Chanu, a former Asian champion and 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games gold medallist, after her dope flunk at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Chanu was added in the CWG Core Group of lifters in August last year after serving out her two-year ban. She, however, could not make it to the Commonwealth Games team as she could manage only the third place in a three-woman field in the 53kg category trials here last month, totaling 172kg.

"Chanu's 'B' sample had also come out to be positive for methylhexaneamine. We have sent the notice to Chanu and Indian Weightlifting Federation. We will fix a date for her if she wants to appear before the NADA disciplinary panel," NADA Director General Rahul Bhatnagar told PTI.

The dope flunk came days after Indian Weightlifting Federation completed payment of a hefty USD five lakh fine to the international body after its six lifters failed WADA dope tests conducted last September.

The country's lifters were allowed to take part in next month's Commonwealth Games here after the CWG OC gave an interest-free loan of Rs 1.75 crore for the IWF to pay the remaining two installments of USD five lakh fine by August 31.
Chanu, Arjuna Award winner in 2000, had earlier tested positive for a diuretic at the Athens Olympics in 2004 and was handed two-year ban.

Meanwhile, Bhatnagar said a team of WADA officials visited the National Institute of Sports at Patiala where Commonwealth Games-bound boxers, weightlifters, wrestlers and athletes are camping and had taken 20 samples last weekend.
"A WADA team came down to Patiala at the weekend and they had taken 20 samples. WADA people visit the country once in a a year and since Commonwealth Games in being held here they might have just thought of coming here at this time," Bhatnagar said.