Increased testing will see extra athletes testing optimistic, says Adille Sumariwalla, the president of the Athletics Federation of India.
| Photo Credit: Stan Rayan
As the distance runners entered the residence stretch in the males’s 5000m at the latest National Open in Bengaluru, surprisingly they determined to stick collectively. Nobody appeared eager to win the race, maybe anxious that they might have to endure a dope take a look at in the event that they did. And they virtually completed as a bunch.
Days earlier than that, many athletes abruptly vanished when the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) officers turned up at the Delhi State Championships. In the finish, only one athlete ran the 100m closing and a steeplechaser continued to run even after crossing the end line, to evade dope testers. And many skipped the medals ceremony that dramatic day as dope-testers saved a detailed watch.
While Indian athletics seems rosy and promising after the superb Asian Games present, there may be additionally the different darkish facet which is exhibiting its ugly head increasingly more.
“I think everyone is making too much out of it. There is an issue, yes. Is it a big issue? Very big issue…but by keeping on making a big issue out of it, going to international media and which will get India banned is not what we are looking at,” stated Adille Sumariwalla, the president of the Athletics Federation of India, in the chat with The Hindu on the sidelines of the National Games right here.
“I’m getting flak from World Athletics, from AIU (Athletics Integrity Unit), from WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency). What can I do, I’m not the police. I can’t arrest them, I don’t have any powers to do any of that. My only power is reporting.”
Incidentally, World Athletics and the AIU have sough a report from the AFI on the Delhi fiasco.
“Now we have an enquiry commission, set up by the chairman of the disciplinary committee, which will look into it. NADA is also looking into it,” stated Sumariwalla who can also be the vp of World Athletics.
And what about the Bengaluru drama?
“NADA was there, let it take suo moto action, they have the power,” he stated.
Dilemma
He defined that the rising variety of athletes testing optimistic is as a result of there are extra exams now.
“Today, I’ve increased to nearly 1500 tests. Before I became president, there were 100 tests. So, more people will get caught. Even if you say 10% are getting caught, that’s 150. Out of 100, 10 will get caught. And India will look very good. But that doesn’t solve my problem, you have to take the bull by its horns and that is what I’m fighting day and night,” stated Sumariwalla.
“See, I can stop testing, for me it’s very simple. I will not test, very good, I will not have the big numbers.”
