NEW DELHI, India (AFP) — A first Indian athlete has failed a doping test at the Commonwealth Games, officials announced yesterday, casting a cloud over the celebrations that followed home triumphs in track and field.

An Australian threat to boycott Thursday’s closing ceremony, meanwhile, brought an immediate response from organisers who said there would be no repeat of the mistakes that marred the opening ceremony on October 3.

The first golds of the penultimate day’s action went to Malaysia in the shooting and Canada in the women’s time-trial cycling.

The doping violation was by 20-year-old Rani Yadav who placed sixth in the women’s 20km walk.

She tested positive for the banned steroid nandrolone in what was an embarrassing blow to organisers.

It was the third anti-doping violation of the multi-sport event after Nigerian 110m hurdler, Samuel Okon and Nigerian women’s 100m gold medallist, Osayemi Oludamola – both for stimulants.

Organising committee secretary general Lalit Bhanot said it was unfortunate that an athlete from the host nation had cheated.

The Australian threat to boycott the closing ceremony stemmed from anger over poor conditions at the troubled event’s opening.

Chef de mission, Steve Moneghetti, said the team took a tough line after athletes were made to wait in a 40-degree Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) “Tunnel of Hell” for an hour before parading through the New Delhi stadium on October 3.

Moneghetti told The Australian newspaper the country’s Games association chief, Perry Crosswhite, made the boycott threat during talks with Indian officials.

But after Indian officials had pledged there would be no repeat, Moneghetti said that the issue had been resolved and that Australian athletes would march in the closing spectacular.

The first of the 27 gold medals up for grabs on the penultimate day’s action went to Malaysia’s Bibiana Chin in the women’s 10m air pistol shooting and to reigning world champion Tara Whitten of Canada in the women’s cycling time trial.

Whitten finished four seconds ahead of New Zealander Linda Villumsen after a commanding performance which saw her in the lead for the entire 29km course.

As with the road race on Sunday though, there was no provision for spectators to line the course, a section of motorway nowhere near the main hub of central Delhi, which will stage India’s first Formula 1 race next year.

Boxing was meanwhile, taking centre stage on Wednesday with 10 finals running through light-flyweight to super-heavyweight.

Five of the finals are between fighters from the British “home nations” of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland while Manju Wanniarachchi could win Sri Lanka’s first Commonwealth Games boxing gold medal in 72 years.

Singapore looked set to boost their gold medal haul in the table tennis finals having already won the mixed doubles title on Tuesday, while the three doubles finals will round off the squash competition.