Vidanage, 29, tested positive for the stimulant methylhexaneamine at the Asian Weightlifting Championship held in China's Anhui province in April and has been given the ban by the International Weightlifing Federation.

He had been one of four Sri Lankan sportsmen and women selected for the Athletes' Commission in April.

The Commission was established to help advise the bid committee on what makes a major event good from an athletes perspective.

They are also be involved in the bid's youth engagement programmes, including working with children and young people throughout Sri Lanka as part of a new seven-year National Sports Plan which seeks to create a pyramid of sporting opportunity.

But Vidanage, who carried Sri Lanka's flag during the Opening Ceremony at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi  last year, has now been sacked by embarrassed bid officials.

"Hambantota 2018 supports any action which combats the use of drugs or cheating in sport," Hambantota 2018 told insidethegames in a statement.

"The actions of individuals must always be dealt with in the first instance and in the appropriate manner by the relevant federation, which has happened in this case.

"We can now confirm that Chinthana Vidanage is no longer part of the Hambantota 2018 Athletes' Commission and has no other connections with the bid."

Vidanage, 29, won the Commonwealth Games gold medal medal in the 62kg category at Melbourne in 2006.

He won a silver at Delhi but will keep his medal because he did not fail the drugs test until May 13, 2011.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
August 2011: Hambantota 2018 ambassador given four-year drugs ban
May 2011: Sri Lanka in new drugs scandal after Hambantota 2018 ambassador tests positive