Boxing: Indian Olympian quizzed over drug haul

NEW DELHI: Indian Olympic bronze-medallist boxer Vijender Singh has been questioned over his alleged links to a $24-million heroin haul and has refused to give blood or hair samples.

Vijender, who won a bronze at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, was interviewed on Monday after an alleged drug dealer arrested with the heroin named him and fellow boxer Ram Singh as ‘clients.’

Vijender has strongly denied any link to the drug dealer and slammed as ‘ridiculous’ the allegations against him.

Police seized 26 kilogrammes of heroin worth $24 million last week. The alleged dealer was arrested along with five others.

Vijender, himself a police officer, was questioned for close to four hours on Monday evening, according to a police statement.

The Indian sports ministry said it was closely watching the investigations and the boxer will face action if he is found guilty of any wrongdoing.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 13^th, 2013.