November 23 - The process to elect new officers for the Indian Weightlifting Federation has begun after the previous group of officials were forced to resign following the drugs scandal that threatens to keep the home team out of the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi next year.

 

The officials resigned en masse earlier this month after six lifters tested positive for banned performance-enhancing substances.

 

Randhir Singh, the general secrtary of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), said that dates for the elections would be announced later this week and none of those who resigned would be allowed to contest.

 

He said: "We would issue notification for the elections in the coming week and no one from the previous federation would be allowed to contest.

 

"The IOA will start discussing the matter tomorrow."

 

India, which has been banned twice in the past, is once again faced with the possibility of stringent punishment from the international body for the most recent scandal in which six lifters failed out-of-competition tests conducted by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)  in September in Pune.

 

The International Weightlifting Federation is currently analysing the cases and will take a final decision on whether to ban India or let it off with a fine in the coming weeks.

 

Singh claims he is hopeful that India will avoid a ban and that they will be able to take part in the Commonwealth Games.

 

 

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