Madasamy fails drug test, Thorpe's bid ends

Indian weightlifter Krishnan Madasamy became the first competitor to be stripped of medals because of doping at the Commonwealth Games on Saturday as swimmer Ian Thorpe's historic quest for seven titles failed.

Madasamy was forced to hand back three silver medals from the 62 kg category after testing positive for a metabolite of the banned steroid nandrolone on a day of controversy for India.

India's final with England in the women's hockey finished with protests over a disputed winning goal.

Thorpe's bid to become the most successful sportsman in the 72-year history of the Games ended when the 19-year-old Australia was beaten into second place by compatriot Matt Welsh in the final of the 100 metres backstroke.

Thorpe, already with five titles in the bag, was bidding to become the first competitor to win seven gold medals at one Games and collect a record-breaking aggregate of 11 titles after four golds at the 1998 Kuala Lumpur Games.

He had won gold in five freestyle finals but came up short in the backstroke, his weakest event.

But the Australian said: "That's my best time, that's a good result for me, I'm more than happy to come second. I'll be able to walk away happy, there's no disappointment."

Thorpe still has a chance of winning a record-equalling sixth gold when he teams up with Welsh in the 4x100 medley relay in the last swimming event of the Games which close on Sunday.

Canada's Graham Smith and Australia's Susie O'Neill also achieved the feat in the pool at the 1978 and 1998 Games respectively. A sixth title would put Thorpe level with O'Neill as the most decorated competitor with a total of 10 titles.

INDIAN WOE

India, planning a bid for the 2010 Games, have been very successful in Manchester after being slammed in the past for failing to perform at major events. They began the penultimate day with 57 medals (22 golds, 21 silvers and 14 bronzes).

But Madasamy was ordered to hand back his three silvers in the clean and jerk, snatch and overall.

Kim Collins, the men's 100 metres champion, tested positive for a banned substance during the Games but was allowed to keep his gold because he proved he took the drug to treat asthma.

Marcus Stephen of Nauru was awarded the silver medals for the snatch, clean and jerk and combined.

Malaysia's Roswadi Rashid moved up to take the bronze medal in the snatch and New Zealander Terry Hughes took the bronze medals in the clean and jerk and combined disciplines.

Weightlifting has suffered with the abuse of performance-enhancing drugs for decades. Before the Games started the manager and coach of Scotland's team withdrew after officials launched an investigation into drug allegations.

Muscle-building nandrolone has been at the centre of an array of positive tests in the last few years. Some competitors have blamed the use of food supplements on positive tests.

But Commonwealth Games officials said: "The athlete and his representatives could not produce any evidence or information to explain the presence of this substance in his body."

HOCKEY ROW

It took hockey officials more than half an hour to sort out the result of the women's final. India won 3-2 after a sudden death goal at a penalty corner awarded 10 seconds before the end of the first period of extra time.

But the Indian players ran after one of the umpires in scenes usually associated with professional soccer after the goal originally appeared to have been disallowed.

Seconds later officials made it clear that the goal had been given and the England team launched an immediate appeal against the decision. They gathered together in a huddle in the middle of the pitch, clearly not convinced that the game was decided.

The team waited on the pitch for around 30 minutes before officials decided to turn down the appeal. The English did not take advantage of their right for a second appeal and the players and coaches shook hands with the Indians.