Mumbai: The presence of the National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) was quite evident at the Mumbai University Pavilion as some of the athletes stayed away from the 69th State Athletic Championship sponsored by LIC which got underway here on Tuesday.
The NADA officials were going about their duty in picking up athletes apart from the first three toppers of each race, for the doping tests. "There are absentees, and I am of the opinion that it is because of NADA officials in attendance," said one of the officials in conditions of anonymity.
This has been happening for a while, and a check in this manner is good for the sport," added the official. "The absentees have been in throw events (Discus, shot put), both men and women while a couple in the long distance," said the official, while adding that all these athletes are from Pune.
Over 1000 athletes from 34 districts from the state are taking part in the championship which has come to the city after ten years.
"This is the first time in the last 10 years we had such great participation. Pune being the biggest contingent of 95 participants” says technical official Rakesh Save.
For the first time in Maharashtra Athletic history, the participants were subjected to dope tests by NADA which was established in 24th November 2005 by Government of India under the Societies Registration Act 1890.
NADA is responsible for promoting, coordinating and monitoring the doping control program in sports and its all forms in India. The rules of anti-narcotics have been rigid after the incident in the Asian Championship which was held in Doha, Qatar.
Three officials were present in the venue, two male officials Dharmendra Kumar BCO (Blood Collecting Officer) and Balwinder Singh DCO (Dope Control Officer ) and Dr. Usha Nikumbh Lead DCO. All the three officials work under the Central NADA.
The officials have been testing the first, second and third winners of every sport starting from 100m run to 5,000m run. The Officials collect the urine and the blood samples of the participants and send it to National Doping Testing Lab (NDTL), Delhi and the results usually take quite a period of time which usually depends on the number of samples.
“While taking the samples, we are constantly with them -- male officers with male participants and female officer with female participant. we have to be extremely careful when taking the samples as to not cause any alteration.
We ourselves seal the samples and send it to the lab within 24 hours” says Officer Balwinder Singh who has worked in Punjab, Hyderabad and now in Navi Mumbai.
By Keerthana Nambiar
