Not informed by state boxing sangh, say SAI officials

The Sports Authority of India (SAI) authorities at the Giri Centre Stadium of Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University (HAU) here have distanced themselves from the doping row during the recently concluded state-level boxing event.

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The Haryana Boxing Sangh (HBS) organised the three-day event at the SAI centre, where some players are suspected to have used steroids and dope to enhance their performance. A haul of empty vials and used syringes were recovered from a washroom of the stadium.

Vijay Kumar Manchanda, Assistant Director, SAI (Hisar), said they were not informed about the injections and suspected doping during the event. “The fifth edition of the Elite Men Haryana State Boxing Championship was held from December 16 to 18, in which nearly 250 players from 22 districts and three SAI centres participated," he said, adding that only one player from their centre in Hisar had participated in the event.

When told that HBS officials admitted that they had found injections in the washroom and had warned players, Manchanda said HBS should have informed the SAI authorities. “We were not informed by anyone," he said.

Asked whether SAI officials inspected the washroom in the stadium, he said he was on leave for some days.

Meanwhile, the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) has sought a report about the doping row from the HBS after reports appeared in The Tribune. HBS officials stated that they had warned the players that they could be in trouble as the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) could visit the event to take samples.

The HBS wrote to NADA on December 17 with regard to samples of the players. NADA sources said it was not possible for them to form a team and visit the event site to take the samples.

HBS general secretary Ravinder Pannu, however, said they had written to NADA to take the samples of the winners when they would participate in the national event to be held in Bareilly (UP) from January 6 to January 13.

'Take samples at UP meet'

"We have written to NADA to take the samples of the winners when they would participate in the national event to be held in Bareilly (UP) from January 6 to January 13." — Ravinder Pannu, HBS general secretary