CWG 2018: India Summoned by Officials in The Syringe Row?

The Games are all set to begin from Wednesday (4 April).

(Photo: The Quint)

The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) on Monday summoned an unidentified national association, believed to be India, for a meeting with its medical commission following the discovery of syringes at the Gold Coast Games Village.

While confirming the development, CGF CEO David Grevemberg did not divulge the name of the nation that has violated the ‘no needle policy’, which prohibits the administration of injections without strong medical support.

Grevemberg said the CGF was in talks with the concerned Commonwealth Games Association amid speculations that Indian boxers could be under the scanner in this case. The Games are due to start 5 April after the opening ceremony on April 4.

“That CGA has now been summoned to engage in a meeting with our medical commission later today (Monday 2 April),” Grevemberg said at a press conference.

The Indian contingent has been insistent that there has been no wrongdoing on its part, claiming that the syringes found could belong to other teams who are staying in the same compound of the Games village.

“If there is more information by this afternoon I will come to the Main Press Centre and report that information to the media after those proceedings,” Grevemberg added.

“The report (of the medical commission) will include the testimony of the concerned CGA and that will be put forward to our federation court for further deliberation to determine the appropriate sanction.” Games organising committee chairman Peter Beattie insisted that the matter would be dealt in a transparent manner.

“There will be transparency and nothing will be covered up,” he said.

Last week, syringes were found near the athletes’ accommodation at the Commonwealth Games Village on Sunday.

It was reported that syringes were discovered near accommodation where a few Indian athletes are putting up.

Grevemberg had said a staff at the athletes' village told them about the syringes and the matter will now be probed. However, an Indian official claimed that it was they who handed the syringes to the CGF medical commission.