New Delhi - Monica Devi, India's lone competitor for weightlifting in the Beijing Olympics, dismissed charges of doping against her and said she was innocent at a press briefing on Wednesday. Devi was withdrawn from the Indian squad hours before she was to board the flight to Beijing on Tuesday night after she tested positive for an anabolic steroid, the Indian Express newspaper reported, quoting unnamed sources.
The test was conducted on June 28.
In the pre-Olympic trial conducted by Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWF) in July this year, P Shailaja performed better than Devi, but Devi was chosen because she had won a silver and two bronze at the Asian Championships in Japan this year.
An emotional Devi was in tears as she addressed a press briefing in the Indian capital where she said, "I have done nothing wrong." Devi said she had clean in 30 dope tests since January 2007.
Devi, who was to compete in the 69kg category, added: "They should let me go to Beijing. I would be tested there. If I test positive they can not only ban me for life, they can shoot me in public."
Devi and IWF general secretary BR Gulati said they had not received any official information on which test Devi had failed and what count.
Devi alleged that she may have been framed to enable Shailaja to replace her as the later had the support of some powerful officials.
Officials of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) were not available for comment. A telephone operator the IOA office in Delhi said all officials had left for Beijing with the team.
