Nation summoned after Commonwealths needle ban breached

GOLD COAST, Australia (Reuters) - An undisclosed competing nation has been summoned to explain the presence of discarded needles in the Commonwealth Games Athletes' Village in contravention of a ban, organisers said on Monday.

The needles, which are banned without specific medical exemptions as part of the fight against doping, were discovered in a plastic bottle over the weekend.

"There has been a clear breach to the no-needle policy and a CGA (Commonwealth Games association) has been summoned to meet with the medical commission as part of our investigation," Games chief David Grevemberg told reporters.

"These needles have been brought in and there was no approval for them to be there."

The Commonwealth Games Federation's (CGF) medical commission concluded its investigation and a hearing will take place on Tuesday.

"Their findings have been escalated to the CGF’s Federation Court which will conduct a hearing in to the matter," a CGF spokesman said in a statement.

"For clarification, this matter is not defined as an anti-doping rule violation, but rather as an infringement of the CGF’s No Needle Policy, which has been introduced by major events organisers to ensure best medical practices,” the spokesman added.

The 21st Commonwealth Games for mostly former British colonies get underway on Wednesday and will run to April 15.

(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney in Sydney; Editing by Ed Osmond)


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