Chinthana tests positive
Chris Dhambarage
Commonwealth Games Gold medallist Chinthana Geethal Vidanage has been
tested positive for a banned substance at the Asian Weightlifting
Championships which was worked off in China. The 29 year old former
schoolboy of Royal College Polonnaruwa was placed fourth in the 69 kg
weight category event after he lifted a total of 132 kg in the snatch
and 167 kg in the clean and jerk event category.
Vidanage was banned by the International Weightlifting Federation for
using the performance enhancing drug “Methyl Mexamamine” which is a
banned substance by the World Anti Doping Association as part of their
routine procedure.
The Medical Unit of the Ministry of Sports headed by Dr. Geethanjana
Mendis confirmed that Chinthana Vidanage’s urine sample in China have
tested positive for a banned substance and have already commenced the
preliminary investigations.
It is believed that Chinthana Vidanage had consumed the banned drug
in the form of an additional supplement through the consultation of a
private medical officer.
Earlier promising boxer Manjula Wanniarachchi was also a victim of a
similar incident despite having the opportunity of making use of the
Medical Unit of the Ministry of Sports.
Vidanage first stole the limelight by winning back to back gold
medals at the 2006 South Asian Games in Colombo which was followed by
his historic effort at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne where he
bagged the first weightlifting gold medal for his country.
He also participated in the men’s 69 kilograms clean and jerk event
at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. During his memorable performance at
the Beijing Olympics the champion lifter had the satisfaction of
establishing three new Sri Lanka records.
Vidanage bettered his own Sri Lanka record in the men’s 69 kg snatch
from 120 kg to 128 kg and also the total record from 280 kg to 293 kg.
In addition Vidanage was presented a car for being awarded the Most
Outstanding Sportsman at the at last year’s 36th National Sports
Festival held in Kandy. |
