CWG 2018: 2 Indian players suspended and sent home

Making India proud, the athletes have been earning medals at the CWG 2018.

But this latest news is a blemish and is disappointing.

Two Indian athletes, race walker KT Irfan and triple jumper Rakesh Babu have been removed from the Games village and sent back home for breach of the ‘no-needle policy’.

“They are in breach of the No Needle Policy and the statements of both these athletes are unreliable and evasive, so we have suspended their accreditation, removed them from the Village and put them back on the first plane available out of Australia,” Commonwealth Games Federation president Louise Martin said.

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THE STATEMENT

The statement said that on April 12, the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) Federation Court heard a complaint made by the CGF Medical Commission against members of the Indian team competing at the XXI Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, Australia.

The Chef de Mission of the Commonwealth Games Association of India (“CGA India”), Vikram Singh Sisodia; General Team Manager, Namdev Shirgaonker; Athletics Team Manager, Ravinder Chaudhry; two athletes, Rakesh Babu and Irfan Kolothum Thodi; and other individuals (Team Managers) associated with CGA India were found by the CGF Federation Court to be in breach of the CGF No Needle Policy for the Games (the “No Needle Policy”). All five individuals were found to be in breach of the Policy.

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THE TESTIMONY

Having heard all the parties and considered all the evidence at the hearing which took place on 12 April 2018 before the Federation Court of the Commonwealth Games Federation (“CGF”), the Court found as follows:

Notwithstanding the explanations given to the Court as to the actions taken to communicate the CGF regulations and policies applicable to the XXI Commonwealth Games (the “Games”) to Team Managers, Vikram Singh Sisodia – Chef de Mission, Namdev Shirgaonker – General Team Manager, and Ravinder Chaudhry – Manager, Athletics Team, and other persons acting on behalf of the Commonwealth Games Association of India (“CGA India”) are in breach of the CGF No Needle Policy for the Games (the “No Needle Policy”) in that they failed to ensure compliance with the No Needle Policy.

The testimony of an Incognitus Cleaners Operations Manager as to the discovery of a needle in a cup on the bedside table in bedroom 2 of Apartment 7 in the Games Village assigned to CGA India and occupied by Rakesh Babu – Athlete, Triple Jump, and Irfan Kolothum Thodi – Athlete, Race Walk (“Bedroom 2”) is credible.

The testimony of the Australia Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) Principal Investigator as to the discovery of a syringe in the bag of Rakesh Babu found in Bedroom 2 which said bag Rakesh Babu admitted to being his property is credible.

The testimony of athletes Rakesh Babu and Irfan Kolothum Thodi who denied all knowledge of the needle in the cup in Bedroom 2 and the further testimony of Rakesh Babu that he had no knowledge of the syringe found in his bag in Bedroom 2 is both unreliable and evasive.

This is the second instance of Indian athletes being found in breach of the No Needle Policy at this Games. In the days leading up to the opening ceremony, a doctor from the Indian boxing team was reprimanded for not properly disposing of the syringe.

India chef de mission Vikram Sisodia has been handed a strong warning that any further breaches could lead to suspension of accreditation.

The accreditation of Rakesh Babu and Irfan Kolothum Thodi was suspended with effect from 09:00 hours on April 13, 2018.

Rakesh Babu was to participate in the men’s triple jump on Saturday, April 14, while Irfan had already competed in the men’s 20km walk.

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WHAT IS THE ‘NO-NEEDLE POLICY’?

Here’s everything you need to know about CWG’s no-needle policy:

 Needles must not be used except by medically qualified practitioners for treatment of injury, illness or other medical conditions (for which a valid TUE may be required) those requiring auto-injection therapy for an established medical condition with a valid TUE, e.g. for insulin-dependent diabetes.

Every Commonwealth Games Association (CGA) must ensure that needles are stored in a central secure location, access to which is restricted to authorized medical personnel of the CGA delegation.

Athletes with a valid TUE for use of insulin, and nonathletes requiring other forms of auto-injection may keep appropriate materials with them if safely stored and disposed of in accordance with the following:

All used needles and associated materials (vials, syringes, and swabs) are disposed of in an appropriate bio-hazards container

Whenever an athlete receives an injection during the Games, the attached “Injection Declaration Form” (IDF) is duly completed and forwarded to the CGF Medical Commission no later than noon the day following such injection. 

No IDF is required if the injection has been administered by a medically qualified practitioner from the CWG organizing committee and the injection has been recorded. Acupuncture or the use of dry needling techniques are exempt from IDFs.

Failure to respect the policy or IDFs could lead to disciplinary action, sanctions and testing for the CGA and the athlete.

There is no medical justification for any athlete (except those with valid TUE), a coach or any other non-medically qualified person to administer an injection.