Commonwealth Games 2018: Chef de mission asks contingent to follow all protocol

Stung by the reprimand handed to boxing team doctor for violating Commonwealth Games Federation’s no-needle policy, the chef de mission of the Indian contingent has warned all team leaders and support staff to ensure there is no breach of any rules during the Games.

A few hours after Dr Amol Patil was “severely reprimanded” for not following the rules in disposing of the syringes after giving a vitamin injection to a boxer, chef de mission, Vikram Singh Sisodia called a meeting of senior officials and managers of the teams. He warned them that strict action will be taken against anyone who breaches CGF’s rules and brings disrepute to the country.

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“We haven’t yet received any official letter from the CGF so far. But we had issued guidelines before the event to team managers and yesterday also we called a meeting and told them that we will not tolerate if any athlete does anything that would harm the reputation of the country or bring disrepute to the country. Strict action will be taken if anyone breaches any rules or fails to follow them properly,” Sisodia said on Tuesday.

He has asked them to review all procedures again and ensure that they are implemented properly.

The IOA has only two doctors accompanying the contingent of 327 athletes in Gold Coast.

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The CGF court also noted this issue and remarked how both the medical practitioners with the team were first timers at such Games, implying that Dr Patil was careless in following the rules though he was aware of the no-needle policy.

Questions are also being asked on the sports ministry denying permission to two other doctors recommended by the Indian Olympic Association for accreditation.