An Indian athlete has flunked the dope test for steroid Nandrolone but the disgraced competitor's name has been withheld by the Commonwealth Games Federation as per the anti-doping code, Federation president Michael Fennell said on Wednesday.
"We have received another positive result. The notice has been issued to the (Indian) chef de mission (Bhubaneshwar Kalita) at 9 am today. But the athlete has not been informed and we expect the chef de mission to report back to us early this afternoon," Fennell told the customary morning press conference here.
"We are not declaring the name now. As per the anti-doping practice, we can only publicise the name after the athlete receives the notification. We have no confirmation that the athlete has received the notice.
"I am not able to give you the name now, but can only tell that it is in athletics and the country is India. The substance was Nandrolone, a steroid," Fennell said. "We (CGF) met late last night and served the notice to the chef de mission (Kalita) at 9 am," the CGF chief said.
OC secretary-general Lalit Bhanot described the positive dope test returned by an Indian athlete as "unfortunate" and said this shame has happened despite everyone's best effort to avoid it.
"It's unfortunate. We tried our level best. Not just the federations, but Nada (National Anti-Doping Agency) and government authorities are very serious about this issue. We have done out of competition as well in-competitions tests," he said.
"It's a difficult situation. It's unfortunate. We are hosts, we took precautions. But it has happened unfortunately," Bhanot added.
This is the third doping scandal to hit the Games after Nigerian athletes women's 100m gold medallist Osayemi Oludamola and 110m hurdler Samuel Okon tested positive for stimulant Methylhexaneamine.
Oludamola has since then been stripped of the gold while Okon finished outside the medal bracket.