Legendary lengthy jumper and Athletics Federation of India (AFI) senior vice-president Anju Bobby George on Sunday dropped a bombshell alleging that few of nation’s athletes are bringing again efficiency enhancing medication from abroad, that are being distributed amongst a few of their colleagues.
Speaking on the two-day Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the AFI right here, Anju, the nation’s lone World Championships medallist, mentioned most of the banned medication being consumed, have been introduced by athletes caught for doping originated from overseas.
“Many banned drugs being taken by the athletes caught for doping are not available in India, they come from abroad,” Anju, additionally an acclaimed coach, has reportedly briefed the final physique.
“It is not only the coaches supplying banned drugs to young athletes but many athletes travelling abroad for training, procure the (performance enhancing) drugs and distribute them to other athletes. We also have to stop this,” mentioned Anju, who received a protracted leap bronze on the 2003 Paris World Championships.
Best of Express PremiumPremiumPremiumPremiumPremium
AFI President Adille Sumariwalla, on his half, warned the athletes that they are going to be put below extra intense dope testing than earlier than by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) and urged them to cease the enterprise of taking medication after which claiming innocence in a while.
Sumariwalla mentioned the NADA has strengthened its dope testing capabilities by recruiting extra personnel to crack down on the drug cheats.
“I had recently met with NADA people and they are going to test more samples. They have recruited 115 dope testing officers and they are going to district and state level meets besides the national level events,” Sumariwalla mentioned whereas emphasing the zero tolerance on doping on the a part of AFI.
“We have urged the NADA to conduct dope testing at the junior meets, district, state and departmental level meets also. I am telling the athletes, you will get caught someday and stop this ‘dhanda (business).” Sumariwalla mentioned a lot of the doping incidents happen at decrease ranges and out of doors the nationwide camp, and coaches below the federal government’s payroll have been answerable for deliberately giving banned medication to the youthful athletes.
“These coaches are transferred each three months. If they produced a medal-winning athlete by giving the younger athlete banned medication, their transferred may be stopped. “Everybody (dope offenders) will say they didn’t know that that they had taken the banned substances they usually have been harmless however I can inform you 99 per cent of these caught in doping know what they have been doing.
“India is number three in list of doping (highest number of dope offenders). We can be banned like Russia.” Indian athletics touched a brand new excessive final yr after star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra received the primary Olympic gold in athletics — second particular person gold in any sport.
But the dope flunking of prime discus thrower Kamalpreet Kaur and one other javelin thrower Shivpal Singh have as soon as once more introduced again the menace of doping in athletics on the forefront.
“Some athletes are provisionally suspended and some are not and they have challenged their (suspensions). Till the time their challenges are not over (not decided by competent tribunals), we will not be able to provide any update,” Sumariwalla mentioned when requested in regards to the latest doping circumstances.
Sumariwalla mentioned the AFI couldn’t have executed greater than what it has executed to combat the menace of doping. “I was the one who wanted criminalisation of doping, jail terms for dope offenders. We were one of the first NSFs, who had a no needle policy, what more could we have done? We don’t have the powers of police,” he mentioned whereas addressing a press convention after the AGM.
“The Anti-Doping Bill (introduced in the Parliament recently) did not make doping a criminal offence but I am hoping it will be done so in stage 2,” he mentioned with out elaborating.
The AFI additionally accepted the annual calendar, ratified nationwide information, took a choice on obligatory on-line entry of athletes for varied occasions to cease “impersonation” and digitise all its archives.
It additionally determined to accentuate on the work of manufacturing extra certified Indian coaches.
