Commonwealth Games officials have revealed that used syringes and needles were found inside the Athletes' Village on Saturday following a tip-off from the cleaning staff.
“They have been taken to the lab for testing,” Games minister Kate Jones told ABC Radio.
“It’s not only to include what substance was used, but also the DNA.” She said the results were expected by late Monday or Tuesday.
The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) Chief Executive David Grevemberg would not reveal the exact location where the syringes were found or the details of the team residing in the building. But he said that the officials of a competing nation had been summoned to a meeting with medical staff.
According to reports in Indian media, 12 boxers from the Indian squad had been taken for lab tests overnight following the discovery. However, the results are not known yet.
The Indian Express reported the Indian team doctor had admitted to using the syringe, but denied any wrongdoing.
Zero tolerance to doping
CGF has implemented a "no-needle" policy for the Games, which prohibits the use of needles in any circumstance except under approved exemptions.
Mr. Grevemberg said that this incident was a clear breach of the policy. "There is absolutely zero tolerance. We take it very, very seriously", he added.
He further clarified that whoever was found breaching the rules would be sanctioned from the Games.
"Not ours": Indian officials
The deputy chief coach of Indian athletics team Radhakrishnan Nair told SBS Malayalam that the syringe was found in the common area of the building and no Indian team member was involved in it.
"The building has eight floors and we occupy only five of it. There are other teams also in the same building," he said. "The recovery of syringes was not from any rooms of Indian athletes, but was seen in an open corridor".
