ACTION LIKELY.

World lifting body indicates it will not let India off lightly Schumi return

THE international weightlifting body has indicated that it is likely to take strong action against India.

On the fourth day of the Congress of the International Weightlifting Federation being held in Goyang City, Korea, the world body issued a release saying it was contemplating tough action against India after six of their weightlifters tested positive.

" The IWF executive board today ( Saturday) discussed the issue of the several Indian positive doping cases, regarding the fact that India has repeatedly produced multiple cases in recent years," a statement from the world body said.

A reason why the international body is taking such a long time to pass its verdict on India is the fact that it has not closed all the six cases of the dope- tainted Indian weightlifters. " It's only when the world body finishes each and every case against the six that it can pass a sentence on the IWF," said a former weightlifter, who represented India at many international competitions.

This means that it will take some more time before the world body hands down the punishment to the IWF. It is also learnt that Australia and Great Britain ( two of India's closest rivals in the Commonwealth Games) have urged the international body to take strong action against India. These two countries stand a lot to gain if the IWF is banned for a year which means there will be no Indian weightlifters at the 2010 CWG. Another factor which goes against India is the fact that out of the six weightlifters who tested positive only one ( Harbhajan Singh) has applied for his B sample test in the WADA- accredited lab in Cologne, Germany. This is an admission that the other five lifters have been confirmed as dope cheats. But the fact that one of the world body's main requirements was met -- the sacking of the entire executive committee of the IWF -- may prompt IWF to let India off with a $ 50,000 fine.

Now the moot point is that after the executive committee of the IWF has resigned, there needs to be a new body in place to take charge of those weightlifters who are training for the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi. Whenever a new elected body takes over, it would be worthwhile to involve someone connected with the sport. To rope in a weightlifter of repute would be a welcome idea.

A person who fits this bill perfectly is Karnam Malleswari as the Sydney Olympics bronze medallist has achieved a lot in the sport.

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