Boxers in drug scandal: NIS to expel Ram Singh on Mar 11

Patiala, Mar 10: Disgraced boxer Ram Singh is to be expelled from the National Institute of Sports (NIS) here on Monday as he has admitted to consuming drugs. This is bad news for Beijing Olmypics bronze-medallist

who shares a room with Ram Singh at the NIS.

The two pugilists came under the scanner after 26 kgs of heroin worth Rs 130 crore was recovered from a NRI drug peddler's apartment at Zirakpur in Fatehgarh Sahib district of Punjab on the night of Mar 7. Anoop Singh Kahlon, a truck driver based in Canada, had earlier described Ram and Vijender as his regular clients.

Since police found a SUV registered in the name of Vijender's wife Archana outside Kahlon's apartment, the needle of suspicion pointed to the champion boxer but he denied any involvement in the drug scandal. Nevertheless, police sources confirmed that Ram Singh used the SUV to drop Vijender Singh at the Chandigarh airport on Mar 6.

Besides, Ram Singh told newspersons on Saturday that he and Vijender mistook the drugs for food supplements. "We did not know that we were taking drugs. We were told that we were consuming food supplements meant to increase strength and stamina," the super heavyweight pugilist averred.

Despite all this, the national boxing coach is still supporting Vijender Singh. "I know him for the past 10 years and he has undergone numerous dope tests. He has always been clean. He is one of the most disciplined boys I have worked with," Gurbax Singh Sandhu said.

The coach is of the opinion that one should not cast aspersions on Vijender. "We should wait for the investigation to be completed. It is unfair to malign him like this," Sandhu stressed.

However, investigators are looking to grill Indian boxing's poster boy. Ram Singh's confession means that Vijender will find it really difficult to convince the police of his innocence. After all, the former is both the roommate and sparring partner of the latter.

OneIndia News