India slams CGF over withdrawls by stars

India sports minister M. S. Gill has criticised the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) for failing to secure participation of a number of star athletes at the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Delhi. The comments were made after British cyclist and Olympic champion Chris Hoy announced it was pulling out of the Games so as to focus on Europian championships. This was followed by a similar decision from Jamaican sprinter and Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt. Bolt has explained that the event is too late in the season for him to be able to attend the same. He would prefer to start training for next year.

“If these stars failed to turn up, then a lot of efforts will go waste. I again request CGF president Mike Fennell to esnure better particiation of athletes and not officials. I want all ‘A’ list of players.” said Gill.

However, organising committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi highlighted that most of the participating countries will be sending their biggest delegations ever: “If one or two do not come, it does not matter. The Games will go on, the best of the world are coming and new champions will be created.”

Gill said athletes prefer to take part in regional competitions over the Commonwealth Games because these events qualify for the Olympics and he plans to raise this issue at a meeting of sports ministers from all the Commonwealth nations on October 4.

Shelly-Ann Fraser tests positive for banned substance

World and Olympic Champion Shelly-Ann Fraser tested positive for a banned substance. She has subsequently withdrawn from today's IAAF Diamond League meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland, because of IAAF positive finding. The news came a day after Fraser informed that she will not be able to compete in this year's Commonwealth Games to be held in Delhi.

Fraser, who won the 100m at both the Beijing Olympic Games (2008) and Berlin World Championships (2009), will now fly back to Jamaica for a hearing. The findings came from the use of pain medication she used in May when she was in China after suffering excruciating pain from a dental procedure. Fraser failed to inform IAAF about the medication used under prescription from a Chinese dentist.

Fraser's track & field club, MVP through its President Bruce James, broke the news on Thursday. "We are coming forward with this information, because we have nothing to hide. The positive finding is not a performance enhancing drug or a masking agent and therefore we want to have this matter resolved as fast as possible. We are the ones who are making the immediate decision to come public with this."

"We have withdrawn her from competition", said James of the Jamaican 100m record holder at 10.73secs. She was down to face Camerlita Jeter, Sherone Simpson and Chandra Sturrup in Lausanne. "We want to deal with this in an open and transparent manner."

IAAF confirmed with the staff of MVP that she could compete as the matter is still being investigated but they chose to not go that route and thought it best to withdraw Fraser until the matter was cleared up by a hearing panel in Jamaica.

Fraser to skip Delhi Commonwealth Games

Olympic 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser has opted not to compete at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in October.

The Jamaican, who took part in an IAAF Diamond League meeting on Saturday, said October was too late in the year.

The news is a blow to organisers of the Games, following men's Olympic champion Usain Bolt's decision not to compete.

Fraser said it was "too much to ask" to expect her to be in peak condition in Delhi and then come back and train for the World Championships next year.

The 23-year-old said: "It is a long season and trying to peak for the Commonwealth and then coming home in December to start training for a World Championships (next year) is too much to ask, especially for someone like me who is a also a student.

"I will be in school. I don't think I am going."

Fraser also won a gold medal as part of the Jamaican 4x100m relay squad at last year's World Championships.

She announced her decision at the Diamond League meeting in Eugene, Oregon, where she came second in the 100m behind another Jamaican, Veronica Campbell-Brown.

Double Olympic and world sprint champion Bolt announced in June he would not compete in Delhi.