New Delhi, September 29: Lifter Sanamacha Chanu, who was slapped a life ban by the Indian Olympic Association, today accused the authorities of adopting double standards saying they should have followed the same yardstick while dealing with other dope related allegations against athletes.

"I never took anything.

But if they have banned the three of us (Chanu, Sunaina and Pratima Kumari), they should also ban those who had tested positive earlier like N Kunjarani Devi, Sateesha Rai and C Sailaja," Chanu told PTI here.

Chanu and Pratima Kumari were banned for life for testing positive for banned substances during the Olympic Games in Athens in August.

S Sunaina had tested positive during the Asian Championship in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Chanu said she should not have been given the harsh punishment since the decision to impose life bans on lifters for their first doping offence was taken by the Indian Weightlifting Federation on September 12, much after the conclusion of the Olympics.

"I tested positive in the Olympics and the decision to impose life ban was taken after the Games.

If my case was considered, then what about others who had tested positive in earlier meets? "Moreover, the International Federation does not prescribe life ban for first-time offenders," she said.

Chanu said despite the ban, she would continue her fight to clear her name.

"I will not sit quiet.

I don�t know the test results of the injection vial which I had submitted to the inquiry commission.

If the results shows something, I won�t sit quiet." Pratima Kumari declined to comment anything on her ban but said she was hurt that no one raised her concerns before IOA.

"I don�t want to say anything as nobody raised any point in my favour," she said.

"I am disappointed that those who came to me after the Athens doping results, did not come forward for my cause," she said.

Meanwhile, Sydney Games bronze medallist Karnam Malleswari said the whole doping episode had been a "disgrace for both the sport and the nation".

"We struggled a lot and worked hard to bring India a good name but now everything has fallen apart.

It will be very difficult for us to start all over again.

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