Vijender Singh gives samples for dope tests
4 April 2013 2:18 AM GMT
Olympic hero Vijender Singh, who finds himself at the centre of a drug scandal, on Wednesday made himself available for an out-of-competition dope test by NADA officials, apparently under pressure from the sports ministry.
After refusing to undergo tests ever since the scandal broke out about a month back, the boxer’s urine and blood samples were taken on Wednesday morning but it is learnt that the tests will not be specifically for heroin. Vijender, who had virtually gone underground, took the dope tests on Wednesday, said sports minister Jitendra Singh, who also advised the boxer to go for a rehabilitation if found guilty. ‘NADA has taken Vijender’s samples in the morning. ‘I will wait for the results before deciding on any action. If Vijender has made a mistake, he should of course be punished,’ he said.
‘We need to see that our sportspersons are rehabilitated so they could perform,’ the Minister added. A top NADA official confirmed that Vijender’s urine and blood samples were taken today but refused to elaborate further. The NADA, which is an autonomous body, was willing to conduct a regular out-of-competition dope test on Vijender but had expressed its inability to test Singh for heroin citing World Anti-Doping Agency’s protocol.
After refusing to undergo tests ever since the scandal broke out about a month back, the boxer’s urine and blood samples were taken on Wednesday morning but it is learnt that the tests will not be specifically for heroin. Vijender, who had virtually gone underground, took the dope tests on Wednesday, said sports minister Jitendra Singh, who also advised the boxer to go for a rehabilitation if found guilty. ‘NADA has taken Vijender’s samples in the morning. ‘I will wait for the results before deciding on any action. If Vijender has made a mistake, he should of course be punished,’ he said.
‘We need to see that our sportspersons are rehabilitated so they could perform,’ the Minister added. A top NADA official confirmed that Vijender’s urine and blood samples were taken today but refused to elaborate further. The NADA, which is an autonomous body, was willing to conduct a regular out-of-competition dope test on Vijender but had expressed its inability to test Singh for heroin citing World Anti-Doping Agency’s protocol.
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