MALAYSIAN RUGBY PLAYER TESTS POSITIVE FOR CANNIBAS IN DELHI CWG - CGF OFFICIAL

P.VIJIAN

NEW DELHI, Nov 20 (Bernama) -- A Malaysian rugby player who participated in
the recently concluded New Delhi Commonwealth Games in India was tested positive
for a banned drug, said a top Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) official.

The player, part of the Malaysian rugby sevens team, tested positive for
cannabis -- a drug prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

"Cannabis was found in his urine sample and he was disqualified from the
Commonwealth Games.

"We have referred the matter to the International Rugby Board (IRB). He is
not participating in the (current) Asian Games," Tan Sri Dr Mani Jegathesan,
honorary medical adviser to the CGF told local media in New Delhi during a
telephone interview Saturday.

According to earlier media reports, the player had accepted the findings and
even waived the "B" sample test.


When the Ireland-based IRB was contacted, an official told Bernama: "The
process is still open, we can't comment on that."

The Malaysian player was the sixth athlete caught for doping at the 19th CWG
last October.

It was a poor outing for the Malaysian rugby team that lost all their four
matches in New Delhi.

--BERNAMA