Indian Olympic boxer Vijender Singh takes dope test after heroin charge

Indian Olympic bronze-medallist boxer Vijender Singh has undergone dope tests as ordered by the government after police accused him of consuming heroin, officials said.

Vijender, who won a bronze at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, gave his blood and urine samples to the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) on Wednesday, sports minister Jitender Singh said.

The boxer had earlier refused to be tested by Punjab Police, who while investigating his links to an alleged dealer in a US$24 million drug haul last month said Vijender had taken heroin 12 times.

The minister, who had on Monday requested NADA to carry out immediate tests on Vijender, said late on Wednesday that the tests were carried out successfully on blood and urine samples.

“I will wait for the results before deciding on any action. I don’t want to speculate. But... if Vijender has made a mistake, he should of course be punished or penalised,” the minister was quoted as saying by the Press Trust of India.

NADA officials declined to comment or say when the test results will be declared.