Commonwealth Games Gold medallist Chinthana Geethal Vidanage has been tested positive for a banned substance at the Asian Weightlifting Championships which was worked off in China. The 29 year old former schoolboy of Royal College Polonnaruwa was placed fourth in the 69 kg weight category event after he lifted a total of 132 kg in the snatch and 167 kg in the clean and jerk event category.

Vidanage was banned by the International Weightlifting Federation for using the performance enhancing drug “Methyl Mexamamine” which is a banned substance by the World Anti Doping Association as part of their routine procedure.

The Medical Unit of the Ministry of Sports headed by Dr. Geethanjana Mendis confirmed that Chinthana Vidanage’s urine sample in China have tested positive for a banned substance and have already commenced the preliminary investigations

It is believed that Chinthana Vidanage had consumed the banned drug in the form of an additional supplement through the consultation of a private medical officer.

Earlier promising boxer Manjula Wanniarachchi was also a victim of a similar incident despite having the opportunity of making use of the Medical Unit of the Ministry of Sports


Vidanage first stole the limelight by winning back to back gold medals at the 2006 South Asian Games in Colombo which was followed by his historic effort at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne where he bagged the first weightlifting gold medal for his country.

He also participated in the men’s 69 kilograms clean and jerk event at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. During his memorable performance at the Beijing Olympics the champion lifter had the satisfaction of establishing three new Sri Lanka records.

Vidanage bettered his own Sri Lanka record in the men’s 69 kg snatch from 120 kg to 128 kg and also the total record from 280 kg to 293 kg.

In addition Vidanage was presented a car for being awarded the Most Outstanding Sportsman at the at last year’s 36th National Sports Festival held in Kandy.