Kathmandu, September 26 :

The Nepal Olympic Committee (NOC) is planning to send Rajendra Bhandari’s request letter to analyse the ‘B’ sample to the Doping Commission of the 10th South Asian Games Organising Committee in Colombo on Wednesday.

“We have started the procedures and hopefully will send the letter tomorrow,” said NOC general secretary Dhruba Bahadur Pradhan. “Apart from Bhandari, we are planning to send one or two other persons to Malaysia,” he added.

Dr Anil Shrestha, Orthopaedic Surgeon at Nepal Orthopaedic Hospital, is set to accompany Bhandari to Malaysia for the ‘B’ sample test. “If needed we will choose the other member after consulting the National Sports Council (NSC),” said Pradhan.

Dr Shrestha said that he would meet Bhandari tomorrow morning and would try to forward the letter by evening. “I have been requested to look into the matter and we will discuss the matter tomorrow morning before sending the letter,” he added.

Bhandari tested positive for the banned drug Norandrosterone at the 10th SAG after winning gold medals in 5,000m and 3,000m steeplechase. The NSC on Monday decided to request for the ‘B’ sample test of the 10th SAG double gold medallist after the investigation committee submitted its preliminary report.

Bhandari, who has been repeatedly denying of taking any banned drugs, said that he was hopeful of getting clearance after the ‘B’ sample test. “We could not forward the letter today and hopefully everything will be alright after the second analysis,” he added.

“The NOC has called me morning to sign the letter and I have been told that we would most probably leave for Malaysia on October 2,” said Bhandari.