She even suggested that she was being fabricated to clear the way for Shailaja Pujari. “It was a pre-meditated move because they did not give me tickets and other stuff required for travelling to Beijing when I asked for it and told me to collect it on the next day,” she said.

Tests galore

Gulati, who interestingly was earlier accused of taking bribe to favour Shailaja, said the federation was completely with the lifter.

“They have not followed the procedures. They have not bothered to inform me. They have not given a complete report, and what they have given is, in fact, a cumulative report of four different tests that were done on her in the past two months. “In fact, we have already been informed of one of those tests being negative. I don’t know which tests they are talking about of being positive,” he said.

Both questioned the validity of the tests, saying that SAI’s National Dope Testing Laboratory is not WADA-accredited. For his part, Naidu reiterated that the SAI’s job was only to convey the test results to the athletes, not conduct them.

“They can ask for a B-sample test, that is the athlete and the federation’s prerogative,” was all he said.

With several loopholes, and questions being raised on the timing of the result, the last has not been said in this case.

TIMELINE: An unpleasant, four-month long rollercoaster for Indian weightlifting

May: Win not enough

•Monika Devi earns India’s lone quota place in weightlifting at the Asian Championships in Japan on May 1 after winning one silver and two bronze medals.

... contd.