Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWF) struggles to raise money to pay doping fine

The Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWF) is still in the dark as far as paying the $375,000 fine to the international federation is concerned.

Despite nearly a month elapsing after they got the August 31 deadline, the top bosses of the IWF are still hoping that the sports ministry and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) will bail them out.

It must be mentioned here that the IWF was fined $500,000 after six lifters failed drug tests last year. The federation has paid $125,000, and will have to pay up the rest $375,000 by August 31 or risk being prevented from fielding the team at the CWG.

IWF secretary Sahdev Yadav said that the weightlifting body had requested the sports ministry and IOA for long- term interest- free loan. “For some time now, we have been requesting the ministry and the IOA for giving us $1 lakh each as loan. They (both IOA and ministry) have to do something to help us out in our hour of crisis,” Yadav said . Yadav was hopeful of receiving some positive news very soon.

“Hopefully, we should have some good news by the beginning of next week. I am confident that we can find a way out of this deadlock,” he said. The IWF secretary refused to divulge anything further. “I cannot tell you anything more on this right now,” he said.

When asked whether the IWF had approached any corporate entity for bailing them out of this crisis, he said the IWF was involved in talks with some parties.

“But right now nothing concrete has happened,” he added.

Meanwhile, some of the weightlifters are still worried about their chances of competing in the Commonwealth Games on their home turf. A weightlifter who has been with the Indian team for the last two years, said he felt that it was tough to concentrate fully on training, especially in the light of the fact that the Indian team’s participation in the mega event was in doubt.

“I want to frankly tell you that even though we have been training hard for the past eight months, there is this fear of not being able to participate in the Commonwealth Games at all. That I must confess is troubling me a lot,” he said.

The lifter also said that even when the Indian lifters compete in international competitions, some of the participants from other countries ask him whether he was sure that India would be taking part in the CWG. “Our participation in the Commonwealth Games has been discussed by our foreign competitors. In an event I was taken aback when my rival asked whether India would be participating in the CWG.”