Haryana cracks whip on doping after The Tribune’s expose on drug use at Hisar boxing event

Stung by the The Tribune's report exposing suspected performance-enhancing drug and steroid use during a boxing event, the Haryana Sports Department has warned concerned organising federations and associations that any sports event where doping occurs would face suspension.

Advertisement

The Director General of Sports issued an official communication, in a letter dated January 10, addressed to all state sports associations, federations, and the Haryana Olympic Association, outlining strict measures to prevent doping in sports.

The Sports Directorate has directed all registered sports bodies and federations to monitor and prevent the use of prohibited substances during competitions.

If any doping case is detected during an event, the concerned federation (organiser) would face immediate suspension.

The communication also states that the concerned federation would not be granted any venue for conducting future events.

The Sports Department has requested organisers to provide a written declaration on a Rs 10 stamp paper to ensure compliance with guidelines regarding the strict prohibition of performance-enhancing drugs and steroids during future events.

The department has further stated that any participant found engaging in such practices will face strict disciplinary action.

This directive comes in the wake of the recently concluded Haryana State Elite Men's Boxing Championship, held under the aegis of the Haryana Boxing Federation in Hisar. The three-day boxing event, which took place in December 2024, had 250 participants.

The Tribune's report highlighted suspected doping during the event, as a haul of used syringes and empty vials were found stuffed in the washroom of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) centre in the Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University (HAU), Hisar.