NADA agrees to conduct tests in state meets on request from AFI

After a long-standing dispute between the AFI and NADA regarding the testing of participants at a state level to prohibit doping cases at national levels, the AFI’s petition to the Sport Ministry has finally been accepted and the department has asked NADA to carry out AFI’s request.

The AFI had first requested for the measure in the Annual Calendar of Trainings and Competition meeting held on the 21st and 22nd of May under the chairmanship of the sports secretary.

AFI media manager Divesh Bhal made a statement confirming the ministry’s decision to accept its request."In order to curb doping in athletics at the lower level events in the domestic circuit, the AFI asked the sports ministry to conduct dope tests at all the state meets and the government has agreed to our proposal. The Sports Secretary said the ministry will issue necessary directions to the NADA to conduct these tests,” he said, reported PTI.

Only recently, an Asian Athletics Championship gold winner tested positive and was suspended, after the NADA had failed to provide the reports of the doping test conducted during the Federation Cup on time to the authorities, which led to the nation to suffer humiliation in the international scene. This may have played a role in the ministry accepting AFI’s claims of doping rooting from the lower levels.

“In the meeting, it was decided that the dope tests will be carried out during all the state meets and state meets will be conducted as per the calendar submitted by you to Athletics Federation of India. Details of the persons arriving will be informed to you well in advance. States who do not cooperate in this regard, their state meet results will not be validated by AFI,” AFI secretary CK Valson rote in a circular to the state authorities.

Apart from this, the meeting also led to the AFI deciding to organize teams of experts in each state to recognize and groom talent in the age group of 14 through to 16. The state units have been entrusted with the responsibility to suggest suitable candidates for the teams.