Reports | WADA asks ICC to fall in line by May

Reports | WADA asks ICC to fall in line by May

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According to a TOI report, WADA has asked ICC to resolve the issues between BCCI and India’s NADA by May this year or the global cricket body will be declared ‘non-compliant’. BCCI has been reluctant to come under the purview of NADA citing some goof-ups by the agency to the ICC. 

As the long-standing issue between BCCI and India’s National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) is showing no signs of an end, ICC has been given an ultimatum by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to fall in line before May this year or else the global cricket body will be declared ‘non-compliant’. If this happens then cricket will be withdrawn from all upcoming Olympics and Asian Games in coming years. Cricket is now all set to return in the 2022 Asian Games but if the board is declared ‘non-compliant’ then it will not be a part of the event as Asian Games also come under WADA guidelines and is a part of the Olympic movement. The ICC had earlier submitted a bid to include women’s T20 in the upcoming Commonwealth Games in 2022 in Birmingham.

“The BCCI has committed to sending a team for the 2022 CWG, but if it doesn't resolve its issue with NADA, then the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will remove cricket from the Commonwealth Games too," a source told TOI. 

The ICC is taking this issue as an urgent matter and discussed this with the Indian cricket board in the recent chief executives’ meeting in Dubai. However, the BCCI cited recent goof-ups in NADA and said that it doesn’t trust NADA. 

"The ICC is fighting together with the BCCI on this issue. The BCCI's stand is that it doesn't trust NADA.”

“The only member of the ICC which has so far resisted it and for reasons well known is the BCCI, and therefore there is a slight urgency on that matter. The ICC has been informed and the ICC chairman is of the view that he will soon have a dialogue with the BCCI itself considering the urgency of the matter, lest the ICC be declared non-compliant," BCCI acting secretary Choudhary said.

WADA has been putting pressure on the ICC to bring BCCI under NADA since 2018 but BCCI is of the opinion that it prefers an independent private agency to conduct dope tests according to WADA. BCCI had also stated earlier that it is not a national sports federation so there is no necessary requirement to come under NADA. However, the Indian cricket board has maintained that as it is a full member of the ICC, it is compliant with WADA. 

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