Close on the heels of the weightlifting federation's strict action against 34 lifters for doping offences, the boxing federation is contemplating similar action against three pugilists who tested positive during last year's National Games.
"We will be meeting on June 5 to decide the fate of the boxers who had tested positive during the National Games. There is no doubt that we will be taking stern action against them," Indian Amateur Boxing Federation sources said in Delhi on Monday.
The three boxers -- D Bhagya Rajan, Srikanth Poosa and Sandeep Kumar, all of whom represented Andhra Pradesh at the country's biggest sporting extravaganza -- were among the 21 athletes who were held guilty by the Indian Olympic Association in April of taking performance-enhancing drugs during the meet.
While silver medal winner Poosa tested positive for a stimulant, mephentermine, the two others tested positive for an anabolic steroid.
IABF sources said though the three were barred from all competition, their punishment will be based as per the guidelines laid down by the sport's world governing body, the International Association of Amateur Boxing.
"The IABF formed a committee last month and the boxers were given a chance to depose before the members.
"This is the first-doping related offence in Indian boxing. So we would not be taking it lightly," the sources said.
Despite the IOA's directive for strict action against the dope-tainted athletes, the IABF is one of the few federations who were yet to take any action against the offenders.
The Cycling Federation of India, another such federation, will be taking a decision on the fate of National Games bronze medal winner Nijappa Yentheth (Andhra Pradesh) next week, CFI sources said.
"Due to some constraints we could not take any action against the cyclist soon after receiving the IOA's recommendations against him. But the CFI office-bearers' meeting on June 9 will deliberate on imposing sanctions on him, which could be a ban from participating in any national or international meet," they said.
Only three sporting bodies -- the Indian Weightlifting Federation, Amateur Athletic Federation of India and Rowing Federation of India -- have taken action against those found guilty of doping-related offences in the Hyderabad Games.
Taking a tough stand, the IOA in April had recommended stern action against 21 sportspersons, which includes eight athletes, seven lifters, three boxers and one spiker, rower and cyclist each.
