Indian coach admits boxer used needles

The Indian Commonwealth Games Association was summoned to a please explain meeting with Games officials on Monday afternoon, days after needles were discovered by a cleaner near where the team's boxers are staying.

The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) on Monday night advised the matter had been escalated to a meeting of the CGF's Federation Court on Tuesday morning.

"For clarification, this matter is not defined as an anti-doping rule violation, but rather as an infringement of the CGF's No Needle Policy, which has been introduced by major events organisers to ensure best medical practices," a CGF spokesman said.

The meeting is expected to start at 10am (AEST) and will feature a three-man panel of regional representatives.

Earlier on Monday, CGF chief executive David Grevemberg confirmed a preliminary report had determined there was a "clear breach" of the no-needles policy.

What substance, if any, had been in the syringes remains unclear.

India's boxing high performance director Santiago Nieva said one of his athletes felt ill and received a "vitamin substance" from a doctor.

"I'm confident that our boxers (have) not taken anything," Mr Nieva told the Seven Network.

"We had one boxer who didn't feel very well and doctor has given him an injection."

India has a 12-strong boxing team for the Games, with eight male and four female athletes.

Mr Nieva said his boxers had undergone doping tests since the syringes were discovered and his team now understood the strictness of the no-needles policy.

For the Games, only approved medical practitioners or athletes with a condition requiring auto-injecting such as diabetes can take needles into the village.

Mr Grevemberg said initial investigations indicated the needles were not approved.

Indian team officials were warned at the 2014 Glasgow Games about the use of needles and their correct disposal after syringes were found where their wrestlers and a para-athlete were staying.

Games Corporation chairman Peter Beattie said the situation was "very unhelpful" with just two days until Wednesday's opening ceremony.

"However, I think the most important thing from the Games point of view is to make certain that the appropriate processes are followed and if there's a penalty that needs to be applied, that it's applied," he said.

The CGF has promised a zero tolerance approach to doping and says any athletes caught cheating will be thrown out of the Games.

"It really depends on the nature of the breach - if this was accidental, if it was administrative," Mr Grevemberg said.

Australian Associated Press