India weighlifters fail drug test

By Alex Capstick BBC Sport

Weightlifting in India has been dogged by scandal

Two medal prospects for India at next year's Commonwealth Games in Delhi face life bans after failing drug tests.

It is the latest in a series of doping scandals which have involved Indian weightlifters.

The news comes as leading Commonwealth officials meet in the Indian capital to discuss preparations for the games.

The news of yet another drugs controversy in Indian weightlifting comes at a sensitive time for the organisers of the tournament.

They have been under pressure to convince officials from competing countries that Delhi will be ready to stage one of the biggest multi-sports events in the world.

It now seems likely that two of the host country's medal contenders will not be allowed to take part.

Shailaja Pujari, who won three gold medals at the Commonwealth Games in 2002, and Vicky Batta, a silver medallist in Melbourne four years later, have both failed out-of-competition drug tests.

It is the second time they have been caught out, and if the B samples confirm the results they will be banned for life.

Doping scandals have been especially prevalent in weightlifting, with India one of the biggest culprits.

The entire Indian team was barred from competing at the 2006 Asian Games after four of its athletes tested positive within a 12-month period.

India's only lifter at the Beijing Olympics was withdrawn over an alleged drugs offence, although that case is now the subject of a court hearing.

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