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New Delhi, Aug 24 (ANI): New Delhi, Aug 24 (ANI): The Sports Ministry on Tuesday asked the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee to release Rs 1.75 crore interest-free loan to the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF) so that it can pay $3,75,000 fine to the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) as a doping sanction before the deadline of August 31.

Expressing unhappiness that the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has not taken steps to intervene with IWF to reduce the fine so that Indian weightlifters can participate in the 2010 Games, the Ministry wrote a letter to the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee saying Rs 1.75 crore amount be paid against the approved budget of Rs 25 crore for development of sports under the Joint Marketing Agreement as provided under clause 261 of the Host City Contract of Commonwealth Games.

“The ministry directs the Organising Committee of Commonwealth Games to release Rs 1.75 crore to Indian Weightlifting Federation directly as interest free loan with a moratorium of one year,” said the letter signed by Joint Secretary Injeti Srinivas.

“The release shall be made against the budget provided under the Joint Marketing Agreement. The repayment of the loan to IOA may be separately determined between IWF and IOA in due course,” the letter added.

The IWLF had earlier paid $125,000 of the amount and had been pinning their hopes on the Sports Ministry and IOA to bail them out of the crisis. (ANI)