Syringe Row: Doctor Escapes With Reprimand, India Breathe Easy

The Commonwealth Games Federation clarified that there was no doping offence involved in the matter.

The Indian contingent at the Games village.

(Photo: PTI)

In a massive reprieve to the Indian Commonwealth Games contingent, the doctor of the country’s boxing team Amol Patil was on Tuesday let off with a reprimand in the syringe controversy as he was found guilty of not disposing needles safely after injecting vitamins to a fatigued boxer.

The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) Federation Court heard a complaint made by the CGF Medical Commission against Dr Amol Patil, team doctor of the Indian Boxing Team. The Commission alleged a breach of the CGF’s ‘no-needle policy’ applicable to the Games.

CGF statement after the hearing at the CGF court.

“As part of the investigation, the doctor in question confirmed that he had administered a vitamin B complex, by injection, to an athlete who was feeling unwell.” read the statement.

The Federation Court’s decision is that CGF should issue a strong written reprimand to the doctor for the breaches referred to above with a recommendation that he immediately familiarise himself with CGF policies, in particular the medical policies and standards applicable during Games so as to avoid a recurrence of any breaches.

CGF statement. 

On Saturday, Indian athletes were probed after the discovery of syringes in their accommodation at the Commonwealth Games in Australia. The Indian team denied any wrongdoing all throughout the probe.

Later, it was found that Indians boxers had used the syringes for multi-vitamins. Though they were cleared of any doping violation, they remained under the scanner for breaching the Games’ strict ‘no needle' policy’. The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) clarified that there was no doping offence involved in the matter.

The Gold Coast Games, which will open on Wednesday, has a ‘no-needles’ policy for athletes and ‘zero tolerance’ for doping.

The CGF ‘no needle policy’ prohibits the administration of injections without strong medical support. The policy is relaxed only for athletes requiring prescribed medication or nutritional supplements under the supervision of a medical practitioner.