Commonwealth Games 2010: Indian Yadav fails drugs test

Indian walker Rani Yadav has tested positive for the banned anabolic agent 19-norandrosterone at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi.

The athlete, who finished sixth in the women's 20km, has been provisionally suspended ahead of a hearing.

Yadav was not originally named when Commonwealth Games president Michael Fennell revealed that a third athlete had failed a drugs test.

Damola Osayemi and Samuel Okon tested positive for a banned stimulant.

The anabolic agent 19-norandrosterone, which is a metabolite of the muscle-building steroid nandrolone, is on the World Anti Doping Agency list of prohibited substances.

Yadav faces a two-year ban if her B sample also tests positive.

"It's very unfortunate," Lalit Bhanot, secretary general of the local organising committee, told a news conference.

"We tried our level best. Not only the federations but also the National Anti Doping Agency tried with our out-of-competition tests.

"The government is very serious about these things. One can't be controlled if the person is trying to take some forbidden substance to enhance their performance."

Osayemi was stripped of the women's 100m gold medal on Tuesday after her B sample confirmed a positive test for methylhexaneamine.

Fellow Nigerian Okon, who finished sixth in the 110m hurdles final, also tested positive for the drug. He was disqualified after waiving his right to having his B sample tested.

India has performed well in track and field at this year's Games, and on Tuesday night the country won only its second gold on the track when the women's 4x400m relay sprinted to victory.

On Monday, discus thrower Krishna Poonia became the first Indian woman to win a Games track and field title in 52 years.