Commonwealth Games: Hope after dope

Here is a sport which not only has medals, but pride and more so, respect at stake. For all that has happened in the last one year in Indian weightlifting, people have only been losing hope because of the regular reports of athletes failing dope tests.

“It’s true, we are looked down upon. But we want to change that perception by winning medals cleanly,” said Sonia Chanu, India’s medal hope in women’s 48kg category.

Lifters and the federation have been burdened by several doping offenders and two suspensions over the years. A last-minute entry in this year’s Commonwealth Games has been a saving grace for the sport.

“If not for anything else, they (weightlifters) will do it (win medals) to bring back the glory days,” said Karnam Malleswari, Indian Weightlifting Federation’s (IWLF) vice-president and India’s only Olympic bronze medal winner in lifting.

The CWG has been a happy hunting ground for Indian weightlifters. A total of 92 medals; including 33 gold, 39 silver and 20 bronze medals have been won by lifters since the 1966 Games in Kingston.

The first weightlifting gold in CWG for an Indian came in 1978 Edmonton Games when Ekambaram Karunakaran won the flyweight (52kg) category. India’s best haul, however, came in the 2002 Manchester Games when 27 medals were brought home.

The heroes of the Manchester edition were N Kunjarani Devi, Shailaja Pujari and Sanamacha Chanu, who was recently banned for life after failing dope test for second time. All three of them won three golds each with Pratima Kumari adding another couple.
In comparison, the last edition in Melbourne saw India win only nine medals, which is low by Indian standards.

But the positive aspect is that three of the medal winners in last CWG are a part of the current squad. Monika Devi won silver, while Geeta Rani and Renubala Chanu won gold. Coach Harnam Singh is bullish about the talent at his disposal.

“Out of the squad of 15 (8 men, 7 women), I expect at least 10-12 medals,” said Singh, who has been with the team since the core group formation last year. The team travelled across different venues, from Patiala to Bangalore to Pune then to Shilaroo and is now back in Patiala.

The coach said lifters Sonia Chanu (48kg), K Ravi Kumar (69) and Y Renu Bala Chanu (58) are expected to win the gold.

Sonia said that lot of credit for the preparations should go to the coach. “Harnam sir has put in extra hours for me and he has done everything in his and sometimes beyond his capacity as our coach,” she said. Singh though expressed his discontent over the functioning of CWG organisers.

“We are the home team, we should have got access to the venue (Jawaharlal Nehru Sports Complex) well in advance to prepare there, but we were told that they weren’t ready,” Singh said.

Singh added lifters have got a raw deal. “We don’t have appointed doctors, dieticians or scientific experts, who can help us in analysing and reviewing a lifter’s overall performance. Sports Authority of India should have appointed one for weightlifting squad,” complained Singh. Singh said that despite the lack of support, his team is confident and preparing well with whatever they have.

“We have the talent and we’ll make sure that the chance we’ve got, after all the difficulties, isn’t wasted after all,” Singh said.