Commonwealth Games Drug Free, So Far

Lates News About Update Commonwealth Games Drug Free,  So Far, The Commonwealth Games have been completely clean so far on at least one front: 500 athletes who have been tested for doping have all been given the all-clear. Commonwealth Games Federation President Mike Fennell told a news conference Saturday that 1,500 doping tests were planned during the games period, “and that target remains.” He said all tests conducted up to Thursday had come back negative, “and that is a positive result.”

The federation is responsible for testing the athletes and the World Anti-Doping Agency is observing. Fennell said the number of tests will increase in pace with the number of finals — under the testing regime, all medal winners are tested and some others are done randomly.

It was good news for the games, which have been plagued by stomach illnesses affecting some swimmers, near-empty stadiums, construction delays and filthy conditions in the athletes’ village before the games began.

Organizing committee officials said ticket sales for the games, which end Oct. 14, are approaching the million mark — 946,000 as of Friday, including nearly 55,000 sold on Friday itself. And they said the reason for half-empty stadiums where tickets are reportedly sold out was that corporate sponsors were not passing thousands of them along to clients.

In parts of the Commonwealth, the organizational blunders would be described as a bit of a “dog’s breakfast.”

It was no great surprise when a stray dog, common on the streets of New Delhi, sauntered onto the track at the main stadium and into the infield on Saturday morning, bringing hoots and roars of laughter from the crowd as workers tried to catch him.

“It’s not an uncommon phenomenon,” said IAAF technical director Keith Davies, who attends track meets around the world. “We’ve had dogs, we’ve had cats, foxes.”

After roaming the track and evading two workers dispatched to shoo him off, the dog disappeared through a tunnel near the 100-meter starting line and disappeared.

The track invasion happened not long after Fennell had delivered his latest urge for local organizers to improve the ticket sales situation.

“On attendance, it is not fully satisfactory,” Fennell said. “We will continue to keep pressure on the organizing committee to what can be done, whether it be sales or complimentary tickets to groups.”

The program for the sixth day of competition involved 32 gold medals, including nine in athletics and eight on the final day of swimming. Local hope Sania Mirza was to play the women’s singles tennis final. Two golds were decided early in the men’s and women’s 20-kilometer walks.

In the men’s race that started at 7:30 a.m., Jared Tallent pulled away from Australian teammate Luke Adams on the penultimate lap to win the gold medal.

Adams, who has won three straight Commonwealth Games silver medals in the event, led for much of the race on the two-kilometer loop in central New Delhi but stumbled with about three kilometers to go. Tallent took advantage of the mishap to add gold to the bronze he won four years ago in 1 hour, 22 minutes, 18 seconds.

Jo Jackson of England won the women’s race in 1:34:22. Clare Tallent of Australia, Jared’s wife, took silver and then walked right into the arms of her husband, who was waiting at the finish line.

Those were the first events held outside the heavily secured venues, protected by 100,000 police and military.

In a group-stage rematch of the 2006 men’s field hockey final, three-time gold medalist Australia edged Pakistan 1-0 to advance to the semifinals from Pool A.

Pakistan ensured a medal in boxing when Haroon Khan, younger brother of WBA world champion Amir Khan, beat Welshman Andrew Selby to gain a place in the semifinals. Haroon, who was born and raised in Bolton, England, is representing Pakistan after being snubbed by English selectors.

“This is what I wanted to do — get a medal and beat a lad from the Britain podium squad,” Haroon told British reporters. “I’ve done that and proved them wrong. It is more important than the medal.”

Australia moved ahead in the medals standings when it picked up its 20th gold medal at the pool, where Canada’s Brent Hayden completed a freestyle sprint double on Saturday by edging defending champion Roland Schoeman in the 50 final.