When IWF’s Secretary Sqn Ldr B R Gulati was accused of accepting a bribe of Rs 5 lakh to select dope-tainted weightlifter Shailaja Pujari over Monika Devi to represent India in the Olympics, both the players were at ASI, Pune, as a part of the Olympics training camp organised by the IWF.

“The controversy arose during the first trial that was held on June 29, when the selection committee had raised queries on technical issues. It subsequently declared that another trial would be held on July 15 and then the bribery allegations followed. The IWF then asked me whether ASI would be willing to host the second round of trials. I refused as I did not want ASI to be part of any controversy,” said Ahlawat.

“We are strictly a sports training institution and possess training facilities that are tailor-made for men. However, when the IWF had approached us, we had agreed to host the women weightlifters’ Olympic training camp as there were only three women. The Institute was just the venue and was not involved in training them,” he said.

Though the Olympic women weightlifters training camp has been shifted, the ASI continues to host the Commonwealth Games training camp for weightlifters.

When contacted, Sqn Ldr Gulati confirmed from Bangalore that ‘administrative reasons’ had led to the camp being shifted. “The ASI, being an army institute, was finding it hard to keep up with its other commitments while hosting the women’s weightlifting camp. It was equipped with facilities to train male competitors and did not have separate accommodation for women. The ASI also felt that the media was overstepping its journalistic freedom.”

According to Gulati, while IWF suggests the venue for a camp to be held, SAI looks after the logistical aspects and a joint decision on the venue is taken. After it voiced all its concerns to the IWF as well the SAI, the Federation recommended that the camp be shifted to Bangalore.

“SAI has its best campus and facilities in Bangalore and as the Commandant and the IWF felt that the camp should be shifted from Pune to Bangalore. And SAI gave the go ahead,” said SAI Executive Director (Teams) R K Naidu.