Agassi doping case not a dead issue: WADA

World Anti-Doping Agency

New York: The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) wants to investigate whether any charges can be brought against Andre Agassi following his admission that he lied after taking crystal meth in 1997 and failing a drugs test.

Agassi's revelations in extracts of his autobiography "Open", published last week in 'The Times' newspaper in Britain, stunned the tennis world and cast a shadow over the eight-times grand slam champion's glittering career.

"He took something from the banned list in 1997, we can't do much about that because it's outside the statute of limitations, the eight-year bar," WADA director general David Howman said on Sunday.

"Two things need a little bit more inquiry, if he's lied, and he's confessed he lied, so he's obviously lied and he lied under oath then I think that warrants further investigation to see whether there might be any other charges.

"We all know about Marion Jones, she lied to a tribunal, it can't just be one of those things you get away with," he added in reference to the American sprinter who served a six-month prison term for lying to federal prosecutors about her drug use.

"The second issue is, he had a lawyer represent him, does his lawyer know that he was lying?

"Maybe something can be done in relation to that."

After failing a drugs test, Agassi wrote a letter to the ATP asking for leniency because he had accidentally drunk a "spiked soda" belonging to his assistant.

Agassi received no punishment from the governing body of men's tennis.

WADA has an eight-year limit on punishment for doping offences but last week former Ukraine pole vaulter Sergei Bubka, a committee member on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said Agassi should be penalised for taking banned substances.

"It may not be something the ATP has any jurisdiction over. It may be that some other agency has to look at it," Howman said. "We just don't rely on sport to sanction for doping offences.

"These things have to be pursued," Howman added. "You don't just take them at face value, that it's outside the eight-year limit so nothing can be done. You've got to say maybe something else can be done."

HC notice to Centre on weightlifter Monika's petition

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought a response from the Sports Authority of India on a petition filed by weightlifter L Monika Devi, disqualified from participating in Beijing Olympics 2008 after she was found positive in dope test, alleging that the officials violated the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) rules.

Also issuing notices to Indian Olympic Association, National Dope Testing Laboratory and Weightlifting Federation of India besides the sports ministry, Justice Ravinder Bhat sought their responses by April 2.

Monika, who won the Silver Medal in Melbourne Common Wealth Games 2006, is seeking direction to the sports authority to declare the dope test conducted by the Laboratory of Tokyo on her ahead of the Beijing Olympic as null and void as the officials failed to follow the doping rules.

Filing the petition through their counsel P Ramesh Kumar, Monika contended that she had given samples 'A' for dope test, whose result was not told to her but the information was revealed to media.

As per the WADA rule, the athlete was entitled to know the result of sample-A within 10 days from the date when the sample was given but she was not informed by the officials, the national champion's counsel said.

As per the rule, the officials should have maintained the sample 'A' result confidential but they revealed the information to media which is against the WADA rule, the Manipur based weightlifter said.

Besides this petition, Monika and L Ibomcha Singh, President of All Manipur Tae-Kwondo association, and Dr Thakur Suresh Singh have filed a PIL seeking court's intervention to address the issues related to dope test on the athletes.

In case the athlete wants to challenge the sample A test, he or she has to give sample 'B' before challenging the result, they said.

According to the petitioners, the court should direct the Centre to set up a National Sports Tribunal to address the problems of the athletes.

Soruce:http://sports.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/?frm_TOIHome_top

HC notice to Centre on weightlifter Monika's petition

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought a response from the Sports Authority of India on a petition filed by weightlifter L Monika Devi, disqualified from participating in Beijing Olympics 2008 after she was found positive in dope test, alleging that the officials violated the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) rules.

Also issuing notices to Indian Olympic Association, National Dope Testing Laboratory and Weightlifting Federation of India besides the sports ministry, Justice Ravinder Bhat sought their responses by April 2.

Monika, who won the Silver Medal in Melbourne Common Wealth Games 2006, is seeking direction to the sports authority to declare the dope test conducted by the Laboratory of Tokyo on her ahead of the Beijing Olympic as null and void as the officials failed to follow the doping rules.

Filing the petition through their counsel P Ramesh Kumar, Monika contended that she had given samples 'A' for dope test, whose result was not told to her but the information was revealed to media.

As per the WADA rule, the athlete was entitled to know the result of sample-A within 10 days from the date when the sample was given but she was not informed by the officials, the national champion's counsel said.

As per the rule, the officials should have maintained the sample 'A' result confidential but they revealed the information to media which is against the WADA rule, the Manipur based weightlifter said.

Besides this petition, Monika and L Ibomcha Singh, President of All Manipur Tae-Kwondo association, and Dr Thakur Suresh Singh have filed a PIL seeking court's intervention to address the issues related to dope test on the athletes.

In case the athlete wants to challenge the sample A test, he or she has to give sample 'B' before challenging the result, they said.

According to the petitioners, the court should direct the Centre to set up a National Sports Tribunal to address the problems of the athletes.

Soruce:http://sports.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/?frm_TOIHome_top