EXCLUSIVE:  Kurunegala homeopathy gave drug to Manju [October 24 2010]

A homeopathy doctor in Kurunegala has allegedly given the performance enhancing drug to Sri Lanka boxer Manju Wanniarachchi, stating that it was a vitamin.

The controversial doctor, when contacted by Sri Lanka boxing officials, today admitted that he has given a drug to Wanniarachchi. The homeopathy doctor initially claimed that he has a Sri Lankan medical degree – MBBS, but later said that he processes a medical degree from India. However, it has now been disclosed he is a homeopathy doctor and not a fully qualified doctor with a MBBS.

Wanniarachchi, who won men’s 56kg bantamweight gold medal at the recent Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, had not been aware that it contained a banned steroid at the time of taking the pill.

The 30-year-old Lankan boxer has been given a 14-day period for his explanation by the National Olympic Committee after his ‘A’ urine sample taken during the Commonwealth Games, was tested positive for Nandralone, an anabolic steroid which has been included in the banned list of performance enhancing drugs by the world anti-doping body – WADA. Wanniarachchi, who won a Commonwealth Games boxing gold medal for Sri Lanka after 72 years, was not available for comment.