Sport | Other Sports

India weightlifter Monika Devi cleared of doping charges

India weightlifter Monika Devi has been cleared of doping charges, but the national Olympic committee says the reprieve has come too late for her to take her place in competition in Beijing.

  • AP
  • Published: 11:26 August 10, 2008
  • Gulf News

New Delhi: India weightlifter Monika Devi has been cleared of doping charges, but the national Olympic committee says the reprieve has come too late for her to take her place in competition in Beijing.

The Indian Olympic Association said her entry for Beijing had been withdrawn and its chief representative at the games was quoted to say a new entry was not possible as entries had closed.

Devi was preparing to fly to Beijing last Tuesday when she was prevented from taking the flight due to a supposed doping offense. It was initially reported she tested positive for an anabolic substance.

Devi claimed she had been framed by Indian officials who were disappointed she was selected for Beijing ahead of their preferred lifter.

The Weightlifting Federation of India cleared Devi of any wrongdoing and appealed to the Sports Authority of India, which passed on the decision to the Indian Olympic Association to make the decision on whether she could be a late entry.

"There is no way Devi can compete. The entries closed on Aug. 7 for her event," Sunday Hindustan Times quoted India's Olympic contingent head Baljit Singh Sethi as saying in Beijing.

"Her name has been withdrawn. How can she compete?"

Devi, who was India's lone entry in Olympic weightlifting, said "I've always stayed away from illegal substances and that's why I was picked in the selection trials."

  • Rate this article
  • Average reader rating (0 votes) 0 Stars
Tools

Emailing an article to friend is a simple way to share a news item. Your friend will receive an email with your name and email address as well any personal message you choose to send.

The information you provide on this page will not be used to send unsolicited emails.

This service is not intended to encourage spam, and action may be taken against individuals who maliciously enter personal details of another individual.

Share this article

More from Other sports

  1. Mike Tyson released after LA airport scuffle

  2. Underdog Cotto exudes confidence

  3. Pacquiao in Las Vegas for 'Firepower' fight

  4. Hideki Matsui, Johnny Damon become free agents

All articles in Other sports

More from Sport

Gulf News
Popular in Sport
A round with Pacquiao
Sport

A round with Pacquiao

In the ring with Manny Pacquiao to see what makes this boxer tick

Sport Editor's choice