Doping and bickering federations would cost India medals: Kalmadi

Colombo, Aug 17 (UNI) The doping stigma attached to the Indian Weightlifting Federation and the bickering in wrestling and karate bodies would cost India substantial medals in the 10th SAF Games, admitted Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President Suresh Kalmadi.

Addressing a press conference on his arrival here today, the IOA chief informed the 417-member Indian contingent would take part in 17 out of the 20 disciplines.

''We won't be taking part in weightlifting, wrestling and karate do events. There is a one-year ban on the weightlifting federation which rules out India from SAF and Asian Games. And then the wrestling and karate federations are tangled in legal wrangles with federation disputes. That would definitely cost us a number of medals,'' he rued.

''And Pakistan would reap the benefit in wrestling while Nepal would be the beneficiary in karate,'' he added.

India had won 191 medals, including 101 gold, in the last edition of the Games in Islamabad.

Mr Kalmadi, however, expressed hopes that there won't be any more doping fiasco this time.

''We have educated the athletes through the federations and random out-of-competition have put a fear of the god in their mind.

They have realised they can't go scot-free if they resort to doping.

We hope the IOC-accredited anti-doping centre comes up in Delhi within the next six months. We at IOA would like to believe that doping is a thing of the past,'' he explained.

Mr Kalmadi admitted IOA was apprehensive about the athletes' safety after Monday's car blast here which saw the South African cricket team return home without playing in the tri-series, also involving India and hosts Sri Lanka.

''Athletes' security is something we couldn't ignore and hence we took their feedback. We also got in touch with the High Commission here and the players said they have no problem. So there was no question of pulling out,'' he explained.

He admitted the security concern is still there but hoped the government here would address the issue.

Mr Kalmadi also sought Sri Lanka's help to make the 2010 Commonwealth Games a success.

''Though Delhi will be hosting the event, the entire South Asian would be the co-host and I thank Sri Lanka for their support. We had pledged 10,000 dollar for each participating country to spend on training of their athletes and have paid 7.2 million dollar to Commonwealth Games Federations. Sri Lanka and other countries would receive the money by the end of this month and that would help the prepare and then send their best team to Delhi in 2010,'' he added.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chef-de-Mission of the Indian contingent Kamalesh Chatterjee informed that around 200 players have already arrived for the Games.

''Football, table tennis and badminton teams are already here while shooting, boxing and swimming teams will be coming later today,'' he told UNI.

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