India team doctor reprimanded for 'no needles' policy breach

Published Apr. 3, 2018 12:31 p.m. ET

GOLD COAST, Australia (AP) An Indian team doctor has been reprimanded for breaching the ''No Needle'' policy at the Commonwealth Games, ending an investigation that began when syringes were found in the athletes village.

The Commonwealth Games Federation's court on Tuesday ruled that a ''strong written reprimand'' was adequate for Dr. Amol Patil, who admitted giving a Vitamin B injection to a boxer without advance notice to games organizers.

Syringes were discovered at the athletes village, triggering speculation about a pre-games doping case.

But organizers had earlier said it wasn't an anti-doping violation.

For the games, medical practitioners or athletes with a condition requiring auto-injecting such as diabetes need prior approval to take needles into the village.

''While the doctor did not file an Injection Declaration Form as required by the No Needle Policy, following the investigation into the discovery of the needles, and after due enquiry, he complied with the direction of the commission and emailed information which, in the Court's view, is substantially similar to the information required on the injection declaration form,'' the CGF's court said in a statement.

The court said Patil left the needles in a room at the village - contravening guidelines that mandate syringes are stored in a restricted secured location - while he went to the medical clinic to get an authorized waste bin to dispose of them.

Patil provided information to the medical commission before noon the day after the needles were discovered, meaning he avoided any sanctions for a separate breach of the regulations.