Beijing Games bronze medallist Vijender Singh&rsquo;s alleged involvement in drugs will hit his &lsquo;iconic&rsquo; image and hamper the growth of boxing in the country, say his contemporaries and juniors a day after Punjab Police claimed that the star boxer took heroin 12 times. <img alt="Vijender Singh" src="http://images.mid-day.com/2013/apr/Vijender_1.jpg" style="width: 500px; height: 345px;" /> Stars of the future: Young Indian boxers warm up at the Bhiwani Boxing Club (BBC) last year. (inset) Vijender Singh Pic/AFP Vijender, who is a deputy superintendent in Haryana Police, has been the face of Indian boxing ever since he won a historic bronze at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. &ldquo;He was a role model for some of the boxers. If the drug reports are true, it is bound to have a negative impact on the current and future boxers. It is going to have a bearing on India&rsquo;s image in the boxing world as well,&rdquo; 2010 Asian Games gold medallist boxer Vikas Krishan said. Krishan hails from Vijender&rsquo;s hometown Bhiwani, in Haryana. Akhil Kumar, best known for his gold at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, feels that Vijender ceases to be a role model after being involved in drug consumption with his sparring partner Ram Singh who, according to reports, took heroin five times. &lsquo;It&rsquo;s unfortunate&rsquo; &ldquo;It is unfortunate. But this is what happens when you can&rsquo;t handle sudden fame and fortune. Only the mighty rich can indulge in all these pleasures,&rdquo; Akhil, whose career-path went downhill as Vijender attained stardom, said. &ldquo;A sportsperson is supposed to carry himself with dignity all his life. If he is caught doing something wrong, he ceases to be a role model,&rdquo; he added. &ldquo;We take the police&rsquo;s claims seriously but it is still not the final word. We would like to make a comment once everything comes out in black and white. I will soon be talking to Vijender and ask him what is going on in his mind,&rdquo; said IABF president Abhishek Matoria. u00a0

Star boxer's contemporaries say he is no more a role model

Vijender's fall will have negative impact: Friends

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Vijender's fall will have negative impact: Friends

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