(UTV|COLOMBO) – Two Indian athletes have been sent home from the Commonwealth Games for violating the ‘no-needles’ policy, the BBC reported.
Triple jumper Rakesh Babu and race walker Irfan Kolothum Thodi had their accreditation revoked by the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) and were asked to take the first available flight home.
The needles were found in their athletes’ village apartment.
It is the second violation of the policy by the Indian team at the Games.
A cleaner found a syringe in a cup on a bedside table in their room, and an Australian anti-doping official found another in Babu’s bag.
Games president Louise Martin said the pair had given “unreliable and evasive” evidence at a CGF hearing on Thursday.
“When the Commonwealth Games Federation says no tolerance it means no tolerance,” she said. “Those athletes are suspended and out.”
The athletes denied all knowledge of the needles.
India were previously cleared of doping but given a strong reprimand over unauthorised use of syringes after an unwell boxer was given a vitamin injection on April 3.
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