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Monika storms into SAI HQ
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August 06, 2008 18:44 IST

In a dramatic face-off, agitated weightlifter Monika Devi on Wednesday stormed into the Sports Authority of India headquarters in New Delhi [Images] and confronted its Executive Director (Teams) R K Naidu, demanding report of her dope test, which she flunked.

Monika fails test, is withdrawn  | Monika pleads innocence

A tearful Monika, accompanied by Indian Weightlifting Federation officials and media persons, challenged SAIs' dope testing standards while also taking Naidu on even as the SAI Director defended himself and said he could submit the report only to the IWF and not the player-concerned.

"I must be given the reports of my dope test which says I flunked the test. You declared me positive and you must prove it now," Monika fumed.

But a composed looking Naidu said he was not supposed to give the report to the player.

"I cannot give it to any player I can give it to the Federation and then they decide how and when to convey it to the player," he said. 

Extremely upset and angry after losing her maiden chance to represent the country in the Olympic [Images] Games, the Manipuri weightlifter lauched a severe verbal attack on Naidu, saying that "he had killed the sport in the country".

"You don't want to make India (proud), you want to bring it down."

Naidu tried to defend himself by saying that he had only told Monika to wait for a day as there were some procedures to be followed.

"I had simply said that you cannot leave on August 6 you have to wait for one more day because there were procedures to be followed. I was also giving you a hotel room," he said.

Monika also accused him for promoting P Shailaja and said she had flunked dope test five times in her career but was not banned yet.

"I want to make it clear that against the general perception I am not from Andhra Pradesh and I have no reason to promote Shailaja. I am just doing my job.

"We (SAI) only said that Monika has won two medals in (Olympic Qualifying) Asian Championship so, she should go to Beijing [Images]... it is on record and you can check it ," he said.

Monika, who was India's lone representation in weightlifting, was selected ahead of Shailaja in the IWF trial last month despite the latter emerging to be a better performer.

But the Manipuri girl was pulled out of the Indian squad for Olympic Games last night for testing positive for an anabolic salt in a dope test conducted by the Sports Authority of India on June 29.


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