MELBOURNE, March 23: India’s sporting reputation took another hit on Thursday when two of its Commonwealth Games weightlifters tested positive to banned substances, sources close to the team revealed. The sources said Edwin Raju, who finished fourth in the men’s 56kg category, and Tejinder Singh, who withdrew from the 85kg on Monday, tested positive for performance enhancing drugs just before the Games started.

“The two lifters have been told verbally that they have been caught for drug abuse. They have already left the Games village,” the Indian team source said.

The results however have not been officially released.

“We have not heard anything from the concerned authorities,” the Indian team’s general manager Gurbir Singh said echoing comments earlier in the day by Indian chef de mission H.J. Dora.

“I have not been informed of any scandal related to drug abuse by any Indian contestant so far,” Dora, who is also the President of the Indian Weightlifting Federation, said in a statement to Press Trust of India.

“Normally it takes 48 hours for results to be known. If any one tests positive, the athlete concerned is informed.”

India has a chequered history in weightlifting, having been banned from competing in international meets for one year by the world body in 2004.

It followed three female weightlifters — Kunjurani Devi, Pratima Kumari and Sanamacha Chanu — testing positive at the Athens Olympics.

Two men’s weightlifters Krishnan Madasamy and Sateesh Rai failed the test at the Manchester Commonwealth Games, while Shailaja Pujari, a gold medal hopeful here, failed a doping test before the Games and did not travel to Melbourne.

India could now face a new suspension as, under International Weightlifting Federation rules, a national federation can be banned for a year and face a fine if three of its lifters return positive tests in a 12-month period.

Thursday’s announcement is particuarly embarrassing as New Delhi will host the next Commowealth Games in 2010.

While the results of dope tests have been available after 48 hours at previous Games, Fennell said public announcements would take up to eight days in Melbourne and might not happen until after the Games were completed.

More than 1,000 drug tests will be conducted during the Games.—AFP

Medals table

G S B T

Australia 65 55 51 171

England 24 32 25 81

India 19 12 9 40

Canada 16 24 23 63

South Africa 11 8 11 30

Scotland 10 7 10 27

Jamaica 7 3 6 16

New Zealand 4 7 13 24

Malaysia 3 4 7 14

Kenya 3 3 5 11

Wales 3 2 10 15

Nigeria 2 4 5 11

Ghana 2 0 1 3

Singapore 1 2 3 6

Cyprus 1 1 2 4

Papua New Guinea 1 1 0 2

Isle Of Man 1 0 1 2

Pakistan 1 0 1 2

Uganda 1 0 1 2

Sri Lanka 1 0 0 1

Tanzania 1 0 0 1

Bahamas 0 2 0 2

Northern Ireland 0 2 0 2

Cameroon 0 1 2 3

Botswana 0 1 1 2

Malta 0 1 1 2

Nauru 0 1 1 2

Bangladesh 0 1 0 1

Grenada 0 1 0 1

Mauritius 0 1 0 1

Trinidad & Tobago 0 0 3 3

Barbados 0 0 1 1

Fiji 0 0 1 1

Namibia 0 0 1 1

Samoa 0 0 1 1

Seychelles 0 0 1 1

Swaziland 0 0 1 1