Banned Samoan lifter says Dr told her drugs weren't banned

Iuniarra Sipaia won a bronze medal in the women's over 90kg category at the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Turkmenistan in September but was subsequently suspended for using triamcinolone acetonide.

Sipaia told the Samoa Observer she had done nothing wrong and was innocent because she had never intended to take drugs to enhance her performance.

However, in speaking out, she has also put Olympic silver medalist Ele Opeloge and her sister, Pacific Games gold medalist Mary Opeloge in the spotlight.

Sipaia told the newspaper that a 'Doctor Tala' had told her the injection was not a banned substance and that he had used the same on Ele, Mary and other lifters.

The Samoan Weightlifting Federation has appealed the decision by the International Weightlifting Federation to ban Sipaia.