India’s boxing high performance director Santiago Nieva has admitted that a syringe was used to give a “vitamin substance” to an ill boxer at the Commonwealth Games village at Gold Coast, an incident that has already created a controversy ahead of the event.
Over the weekend, a syringe was found outside the room of India boxers, which was against the no-needles policy of the Games. The needles were discovered by a cleaner near where the team’s boxers are staying.
Officials of the Indian contingent were summoned to explain the entire incident on Monday. Nieva said one of his athletes felt ill and received a “vitamin substance” from a doctor. “I’m confident that our boxers have not taken anything [illegal],” Nieva told Australia’s Seven Network according to report. “We had one boxer who didn’t feel very well and doctor has given him an injection.” Nieva said that all the Indian boxers had undergone dope tests after the syringe was discovered.
Commonwealth Games Federation chief executive David Grevemberg confirmed a preliminary report had determined there was a “clear breach” of the village’s no-needles policy. But what substance, if any, had been in the syringes was still under investigation, he said.