STEPS TO CHECK DOPING
IN SPORTS
RAJYA SABHA
The Indian Olympic
Associations and National Sports Federations are primarily the
action taking authorities against sports persons found guilty
of a doping offence. However, the Government of India, through
Sports Authority of India has made serious efforts to keep away
sports persons from use of any kind of prohibited drugs. During
the coaching camps,. Strict instructions have been issued to the
coaches attached with the campers to educate and regularly counsel
the players about the banned drugs. Apart from this, the sports
medicine doctors at NS NIS, Patiala and other regional centres
conduct lecture, wherever camps are being held , to educate the
players not to use any banned drugs. At the time of commencement
of the camp, each player is being provided with documents and
brochures about the banned substances. The list of banned drugs
and placards for education of players are put in the rooms of
the campers. Rooms and belongings of the players are also searched
and checked at regular intervals to see that no banned drugs are
used besides testing the urine samples of sports persons during
the coaching camps at random. Sports persons who have been found
positive for Dope are removed from the camp/SAI Schemes and action
is initiated against their coaches also, if found guilty. The
Government of India has stopped giving any assistance to sports
persons found guilty of doping offence under its sports promotion
and other schemes. The IOA and National Sports Federations take
action against guilty players as per their rules and the rules
of the respective international federations.
The proposal
regarding signing the World Anti-Doping Agency declaration is
under active consideration of the Govt. and once the Government
approves the proposal, India would be signing the Copenhagen Declaration
2003 on Anti-Doping in Sports. India has already paid the first
year’s subscription of WADA and the dues for the year 2003 would
be paid very soon after Government approval.
This information
was given by Shri Vijay Goel, Minister of Sports for Youth Affairs
& Sports in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha
today.
