COLOMBO, May 24: Sri Lankan boxer Manju Wanniarachchi, who was stripped of his Commonwealth Games gold medal after failing a doping test, has retired from the sport, his spokesman said on Tuesday.

Wanniarachchi, 31, will also not exercise his right to appeal against the ruling that disqualified him from the 2010 Games and cancelled his gold medal in the bantamweight 56 kilogram weight division.

“He does not wish this matter to drag on and decided against appealing and instead will retire from the sport with immediate effect,” spokesman Sudam Sri Pahalagama said.

He said Wanniarachchi maintained his innocence despite a Commonwealth Games Federation Court hearing in Malaysia earlier this month that found him guilty of doping.

Pahalagama quoted the boxer as saying that apart from medication for common illnesses, he had not ‘knowingly’ taken any prohibited substances prior to the Delhi Commonwealth Games. After Wanniarachchi's urine ‘B’ sample also tested positive for a banned performance-enhancing substance the authorities this month awarded his gold to Sean McGoldrick from Wales.

Sri Lankan authorities had said that the boxer may have taken the banned steroid by mistake when he consulted a local physician.—AFP