Medal taken back

Kerala’s R. Rajesh, the 10,000m silver medallist in the boys’ under-20 section on the opening day of the 24th junior National athletics championship, was on Saturday stripped of his medal. the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) confirmed that the athlete had been barred from participating in any event at the national and international level for two years for submitting a ‘fake age certificate.’ The overage issue has time and again plagued the AFI events and the federation is now bent on taking stern action against the offenders. As far as doping is concerned, about 45 athletes have been randomly tested but the results are expected in about three weeks.