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Kathmandu Saturday November 03, 2001 Kartik 18, 2058.
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Tshering tests positive
Post Report
KATHMANDU, Nov 2 – The Asian Bodybuilding Federation
(ABBF) has imposed a two-year ban on a Nepali athlete, Lopsang Tshering, for using a
prohibitive substance at the third South Asian Bodybuilding Championship, the Nepal
Bodybuilding Association (NBBA) officials confirmed on Friday.
Tshering had clinched the silver medal in the welter weight
(over 70kg) category finishing second to the Indian compatriot Ranjeet Kilagar Singh in
the three-day event held in Bandos Island Resort in the Maldives from June 20-22.
"ABBF informed us of Lopsang’s positive doping
result 15 days after the event," said Ghana Shyam Mukhiya, the president of NBBA.
"The federation has decided to strip the medal and imposed a two-year ban."
According to the NBBA officials, ‘A’ urine samples
of seven bodybuilders were sent for doping test to an internationally recognised doping
laboratory in Penang, Malaysia. Lopsang was the only one to be detected to have used a
banned substance – Clenbuterol, a chemical agent that enhances to build muscle mass
in short span of time.
While Tshering is unavailable for the comment, his relative
said that Tshering had participated on his own expense after NBBA offered him the
opportunity to represent Nepal at the championship.
But Mukhiya disagrees.
According to him, it was Tshering, who spends most of his
time of the year in the United States as a bodybuilding instructor, was the one who
approached NBBA and requested for a place in the team that was to participate at the meet.
"He simply cheated us," Mukhiya told The Kathmandu
Post. " We had cautioned him
prior to the tournament but he insisted that he had not taken any drugs."
Mukhiya further informed that Tshering was supposed to file a
case against ABBF, but he did not bother to send the second urine sample ‘B’.
"He was even trying to compete at the Dharmashree Body Building Championship,"
Mukhiya added. "But we kept him away from the competition duly following the ABBF
decision."
"It has dented the pride of the nation at the
international arena," said former president of NBBA, Shiva Lal Shrestha, another
official who was reportedly approached by Tshering for the participation.
Moreover, Mukhiya explained that Tshering and Jibendra Rai
joined the team paying for their expenses as the organisers in Maldives had only
guaranteed us just three seats –two contestants and an official. He also clarified
that the association had picked the players on the basis of the open championship held at
Banepa as a separate selection tournament could not be organised owing to the Royal
massacre on June 1. Harish Shrestha and Anjiv Shahi were the other Nepali participants who
competed at the meet.
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