Sri Lankan sports chiefs yesterday confiscated the gold medal won by boxer Manju Wanniarachchi at this month’s Commonwealth Games and gave him two weeks to answer doping charges.

Wanniarachchi, 30, Sri Lanka’s only gold winner at the Games, tested positive for the performance-enhancing steroid nandrolone, according to a report sent to Colombo over the weekend by organisers of the New Delhi Commonwealth Games.

“We have taken his medal into our custody pending the completion of inquiries,” National Olympic Committee chairman Hemasiri Fernando told reporters.

“He has two weeks to make a written submission.”

The boxer faces a two-year ban and will be stripped of his medal if his “B” test also proves positive.

Fernando said that Wannia-rachchi may have unknowingly taken the banned steroid when he consulted a physician several months ago.

“If that is indeed the case, we will plead for a lenient punishment,” Fernando said.

A sports ministry official said their probe will extend to the physician who treated Wanniarachchi. Police had already interviewed the physician, a source said, adding that investigations were under way.

Wanniarachchi beat Welshman Sean McGoldrick in the bantam-weight 56kg category final to clinch gold.