Athletics
AFI requests NADA to collect more samples from State meets to tackle doping
To tackle the doping menace rampant in India, AFI has requested NADA to collect more samples at State and Junior meets.
AFI has requested NADA to collect more samples from State and Junior Athletics meets to curb doping menace.
The Athletics Federation of India has requested the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) to collect more samples from the participants at the state and junior meets across the country, confirmed AFI president Adille Sumariwalla on Saturday.
To tackle the menace of doping at the country level, Sumariwalla said that NADA disciplinary and appeal panels need “better quality of people”, sprucing up them with senior judges.
“I had a meeting with the NADA (officials) yesterday. We wanted them to send (dope collectors) to state meets. We told NADA that we will let them know about the state meets (to be monitored) and they have to send teams across the country,” Sumariwalla told PTI on the sidelines of the two-day AFI Annual General Body Meeting which began on Saturday.
“Two things can happen -- either the athletes will get scared or if you keep doing testing and catch a few, they (dope offenders) will know they can't do that (doping) in state meets also.” Asked who will bear the expenses for the increased number of tests, Sumariwalla said, “It is not important who will pay for the tests. At the end of the day, it is India's reputation at stake.
"If we continue this, we will have a problem with the world environment. We need to do this if we have to bid for the Olympics, we have to resolve this.
India has been a hotbed of doping cases ranging from Olympians to Athletes at the state meet.
A recent incident where all finalists of the 100m race in the Delhi State Athletics meet fled when they heard about NADA officials' arrival, leaving only one athlete to compete in the final. This incident brought shame to the country with World Athletics also inquiring about the same.
Earlier this year, two of the biggest names in Indian athletics Dutee Chand and Hima Das were banned for doping.
In July 2023, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) published a four-year investigation report of India’s anti-doping programme, exposing multiple missed dope tests, faulty testing mechanisms, whereabouts failures, and incompetency.
