IWF owes explanation for dope shame: Gill

New Delhi, Nov 16 (PTI) The Indian Weightlifting
Federation owes an explanation and an apology to the country
for the dope scandals that may lead to the humiliation of a
third international ban, an angry Indian Sports Minister M S
Gill said Monday.
In a strongly worded speech he delivered at the Kendriya
Vidyalaya Sangathan Sports Meet here in Indian national
capital New Delhi, Gill said IWF officials need to explain how
six lifters returned positive for banned substances in World
Anti-doping Agency (WADA) tests.
"Recently, a number of weightlifters tested positive for
banned substances. That has brought shame to the country and
IWF is facing international punishment. The senior IWF
officials owe an explanation to the country and express regret
for the dope offence by the lifters," Gill said.
"They (the weightlifting officials) should take moral
responsibility and do whatever to eliminate doping from
weightlifting," he added.
Six lifters returned positive for banned substances in
the out-of-competition tests conducted by WADA in September in
Pune and India is almost certain to be banned in the executive
committee meeting of the International Weightlifting
Federation in Korea on Wednesday.
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. MORE
PTI