Worried by dope taint, Niti Aayog wants clean-up

Sabi Hussain

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 18

Aiming to improve India’s poor doping record, the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) has decided to strengthen its monitoring system by conducting a record 7,000 dope tests on athletes this year. The anti-doping watchdog has increased the frequency of collecting athletes’ blood and urine samples by carrying out random dope tests at national camps and domestic meets. 

Up to March this year, NADA had already collected 1,143 samples in various disciplines. Six athletes, belonging to weightlifting, kabaddi and high jump, have already been sanctioned by NADA for returning dope positive. 

On an average until last year, NADA had been collecting 3,000-3,500 samples. However, after three Rio Olympics-bound athletes — wrestler Narsingh Yadav, shot-putter Inderjeet Singh and sprinter Dharambir Singh — failed dope tests, the government instructed NADA to tighten the noose around the dope cheats.

Recently, the Niti Aayog, governed by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), issued directions to NADA to increase the number of tests. The Aayog had originally set a target of 5,500 tests, but NADA revised it to take the count to 7,000. The need for increasing the number of tests arose after India were placed third in the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) annual Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) report for 2015. A total of 117 Indian athletes returned dope positive, behind table-toppers Russia (176) and Italy (129). This was for the third year in a row that India was ranked third in the WADA report. Last year, 90 Indian athletes were caught for doping till November. 

“After Niti Aayog’s direct intervention, we decided to conduct 7,000 tests this year despite limited resources at our disposal. We will be very strict with our random dope testing,” said NADA director general Navin Agarwal. “National camps and senior category championships will remain high on our list and there will be 100 percent testing of each and every athlete. Even those athletes who are training under their personal coaches and are not part of national camps will have to tell about their whereabouts for sample collection.” 

The director said that they had already conducted more than 1,000 tests in the last three months. “We are focusing on disciplines such as boxing, wrestling, athletics, weightlifting, karate, judo, cycling and swimming; the substance abuse is rampant in these disciplines. At the same time, NADA would also be conducting awareness programmes for both junior and senior-level athletes to educate,” said Agarwal. 

Athletes caught for doping and sanctioned by NADA between January-March

Athlete: Lok Chand S (weightlifting)

competition: Tamil Nadu State Level Weightlifting Men and Women Championship, Thanjavur.

Athlete: Mohit (weightlifting)

competition: Delhi University Inter-College Powerlifting and Weightlifting Championship, New Delhi.

Athlete: Mangesh Bhagat

competition: 64th Senior National Kabaddi Championship 2016, Jodhpur.

Athlete: Salim (athletics, high jump)

competition: 93rd Delhi University Inter-College Athletics Meet, New Delhi.

Athlete: Nithin TV (weightlifting)

competition: Madhya Pradesh Senior State Weightlifting Championship, Indore.

Athlete: Robi K K(weightlifting)

competition: Madhya Pradesh Senior State Weightlifting Championship, Indore.