Indian officials have vowed to launch an appeal against the decision to throw triple jumper Rakesh Babu and race walker Irfan Kolothum Thodi out of the Commonwealth Games ©Getty Images

Indian officials have vowed to launch an appeal against the decision to throw triple jumper Rakesh Babu and race walker Irfan Kolothum Thodi out of the Commonwealth Games after they violated the no-needle policy.

The two athletes were sent home from Gold Coast 2018 with immediate effect by the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) after a syringe was found in a cup on their bedroom table at the Athletes’ Village.

It means Babu will not be able to compete in the triple jump final today.

An appeal will likely be filed with the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s Ad-Hoc Division here.

The CGF’s Federation Court ruled Babu and Thodi had provided "evasive and unreliable" evidence following an investigation.

The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) uncovered a syringe in a bag belonging to Babu.

It is not yet known whether this was the same syringe found in the cup by cleaners at the Village.

Indian team officials gave an angry press conference here, in questioning the reasoning behind the Federation Court - the CGF’s disciplinary body at the Games - to send them both home.

They also claimed that a third athlete, weightlifting bronze medallist Vikas Thakur, was part of the investigation.

Team manager Namdev Shirgaonker, one of three officials strongly reprimanded for his role in the breach of the policy, claimed Thakur was heading to the airport for his flight home when he was called back to appear in front of the CGF Medical Commission along with Babu and Thodi.

Indian officials claim that a third athlete, weightlifting bronze medallist Vikas Thakur, was part of the investigation ©Getty Images
Indian officials claim that a third athlete, weightlifting bronze medallist Vikas Thakur, was part of the investigation ©Getty Images

Shirgaonker alleged Thakur, a bronze medallist in the 94 kilograms category, was then searched and drugs tested.

He was cleared of any offence and returned home.

The CGF claim to be unaware of the involvement of Thakur.

"He was on his way home but unfortunately we were told that he should be brought to the Medical Commission," said Shirgaonker.

"After that he was cleared and he went [home]."

India’s athletics manager Ravinder Chaudry, also reprimanded by the CGF alongside Chef de Mission Vikram Singh Sisodia, claimed they should not both be banned as the syringe was found in Babu’s bag.

The incident marked the second breach of the CGF’s no-needle policy by the Indian team at Gold Coast 2018.

India were also officially warned about their use of needles by the CGF at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Similar suspicions were aroused during the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Irfan competed at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, setting a national record of 1 hours 20min 21sec on his way to a 10th place finish.

The 28-year-old was 23rd at last year's International Association of Athletics Federations World Championships in London.