Cleared of doping, Chanu demands answers and compensation

TIL Desk Sports/ The International Weightlifting Federation dropped the doping charge against Indian weightlifter K Sanjita Chanu due to “non-conformities” in the handling of her sample but the Commonwealth Games gold-medallist has demanded an apology and compensation for the “trauma” she has endured.

The IWF made the decision based on the recommendation of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). The 26-year-old, who claimed innocence since the beginning, was informed about the final verdict via an e-mail, signed by IWF’s legal counsel Lilla Sagi.

“…WADA recommends – out of fairness to the Athlete – that the case against the Athlete based on the Sample be closed’,” the e-mail from IWF read. It said that IWF was told by WADA on May 28 that there were “certain non-conformities” at the time of the analysis of Chanu’s sample. “As a result, the IWF has decided to withdraw the charges against the Athlete based on sample 159 90 00 and to close the matter,” it added.