Two Indian lifters handed life bans for doping

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's weightlifting federation has handed out life bans to two lifters after both were found guilty of second doping offences, a senior official said on Friday.

Top male lifter Sateesha Rai, first caught and stripped of two gold medals and a bronze at the 2002 Commonwealth Games, and woman lifter Boradi Prameelavalli have been banned.

"I can confirm we have issued them letters banning them for life," Indian Weightlifting Federation secretary Baldev Gulati told Reuters.

Rai was suspended for six months after testing positive for a stimulant at the Manchester Games and was caught last year using the banned steroid stanozolol at the national games.

The federation had sought clarification from the sport's world governing body whether Rai could be banned for life for a second doping offence because of his initial light punishment.

Prameelavalli tested positive for a banned anabolic steroid in an out-of-competition test in 2006 and was caught last month with three others while competing in a junior national meet.

"You can say her ban is provisional because she has the option to go to court or appeal in the next three months," Gulati said.

Indian weightlifting has been mired in doping controversies.

The federation was banned for 12 months in 2006 after four lifters were caught doping within a year, while Egyptian Magad Salama resigned as India coach earlier this year citing doping among the country's senior lifters.