- The athletes have been sent home by IOA after found violating the CGF No Needle Policy -
Delhi, 13 April 2018: The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) announced on Friday that accreditations of triple jumper Rakesh Babu and race walker Irfan Kolothum Thodi were suspended following a violation of the CGF No Needle Policy by the aforementioned athletes at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games. The two athletes have been removed from the Games village and will return home with immediate effect.
The incident involving Rakesh Babu and KT Irfan took place on 9 April, 2018. The Indian Olympic Association was informed about it on 10 April, 2018 and after a hearing by the Commonwealth Games Federation where a decision on this was taken earlier on that day.
“With great regret I would like to confirm that accreditations of Triple Jumper Rakesh Babu and Race Walker Irfan Kolothum Thodi have been suspended by CGF following a violation of the No Needle Policy. Despite repeated messages on compliance of the CGF No Needle Policy, the athletes here failed to understand this and now are being sent back home,” said Mr. Rajeev Mehta, General Secretary, Indian Olympic Association.
Mr. Mehta further reiterated that all National Sports Federations were handed out an educational note on CGF No Needle Policy a month before the Games. “The athletes would be liable to sanction as decided by the Medical and Ethics Commissions of the IOA,” Mr. Mehta said.
To avoid such instances in future, IOA is considering putting in place a robust system including having a medical team with two dedicated staffs for anti-doping enforcement for every Games and give a more detailed education to every NSF covering all elements of the Games Rules.