Games: India team doctor reprimanded for needle infringement
By Ian Ransom GOLD COAST, Australia (Reuters) - An India boxing team doctor was found by a Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) Court to have breached the event's "No Needle Policy" by failing to store syringes properly in the run-up to the quadrennial showpiece in Australia. The needles, which are banned without specific medical exemptions as part of the fight against doping, were discovered in a plastic bottle over the weekend. The doctor, Amol Patil, had administered a Vitamin B complex injection to an unwell boxer and left needles in the room in contravention of CGF rules, the authority said in a statement on Tuesday. "The Federation Court found that there was a breach of Paragraphs I and II of the No Needle Policy in that the Doctor left needles in the room while he went to the Polyclinic to obtain sharp bins for the disposal of the needles," it said. "Under the No Needle Policy, needles are required to be stored in a central secured location, access to which is restricted to authorised medical personnel of the CGA (Commonwealth Games Association) delegation. "The needles in question were not disposed of until he had made two trips to the Polyclinic." The Court added that the doctor had failed to provide a mandatory declaration form for the needles but had provided "information substantially similar" to what was required. "In the circumstances, the Federation Court's decision is that CGF should issue a strong written reprimand to the Doctor for the breaches," the statement added. "A copy of the letter of reprimand should be served on the Chef de Mission of the Indian Team, who should be advised to ensure that no further infractions of CGF Policies occur by any member of the Indian Team." The matter was not defined as an anti-doping rule violation, the CGF said on Monday. India's boxing high performance director Santiago Nieva told local media on Monday that one of his athletes felt ill and received a "vitamin substance" from a doctor. The 21st Commonwealth Games for mostly former British colonies get underway at Gold Coast on Wednesday and run to April 15. (Editing by John O'Brien)
