Monika cleared of doping charge, but barred from Olympics

Lady luck played a very sadistic game with Monika Devi on saturday. The weightlifter has been cleared of dope charges but the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) stated that it was too late for her to take part in the Beijing Olympics.

"It is too late for Monika to come to Beijing now and take part in the Olympic Games because we have closed the entry process," IOA Secretary General Randhir Singh said.

Deputy Chef-de-Mission of IOA in Beijing, Baljit Singh Sethi was asked to confirm if Monika could come there. And Sethi said, "See, you cannot stop anyone from coming here. But the thing is she cannot take part. Her name has been withdrawn and how can she compete? She will not be allowed to enter the Olympic village."

It is a truly sad day for Monika Devi, for sport and for justice in India as it was just another triumph of politics over Sport.

Eariler Monika Devi hit out at the SAI following allegations of her consuming performance enhancing drugs in the pre Olympic Games tests.

She claimed that she was being victimised by some members of SAI and that the director of SAI, R.K. Naidu had already planned to send Shailaja Pujari of AP due to a “regional allegiance”.