Athletics representational picture. ANI
Delhi State Athletics Championship on Tuesday witnessed a farce as just one sprinter competed within the 100-metre remaining after different athletes pulled out as nationwide anti-doping officers arrived on the venue to conduct assessments.
As per the newspaper Indian Categorical, a number of winners additionally skipped the medal ceremony fearing being requested to provide samples in the course of the Delhi State Athletics Championship.
Officers informed AFP that the Nationwide Anti-Doping Company (NADA) arrived to conduct assessments on the occasion on Tuesday, ensuing within the variety of individuals on the third and remaining day of the competitors falling by half.
The go to got here a day after a video shared on social media appeared to indicate a washroom within the capital’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium affected by syringes and packets of the performance-enhancing drug Erythropoietin (EPO).
“We had written to the NADA on the second day of the competition asking them to come for testing,” Sandeep Mehta, secretary of the Delhi Athletics Affiliation informed AFP on Wednesday.
“They have the full right to test those who disappeared. We will ban the athletes if they test positive and also recommend the national athletics body to do the same.”
Indian sports activities has been rocked by a number of doping scandals with athletes testing constructive in the course of the Olympics, the Asian Video games and the Commonwealth Video games, and 45 athletes have been suspended this yr.
Lalit Kumar was the lone athlete within the 100-metre remaining, successful after the seven different sprinters backed out, reporting that they had muscle strains or cramp.
“I was really looking forward to running against the best athletes, but nobody turned up,” Kumar informed the English-language newspaper.
“Everyone was scared of getting tested. As an athlete, I feel very hurt and let down.”
‘Medal at any cost’
Within the junior steeplechase occasion, a woman continued to run even after crossing the end line and a doping management officer needed to chase her to get her pattern.
The Beneath-16 boys hammer throw additionally had just one participant.
“Some of the athletes did not even turn up to collect their medals,” Delhi State Athletics Affiliation president Sunny Joshua informed the paper.
Kumar shall be awarded a medal and a certificates though he ran alone within the remaining, Mehta stated.
“He competed with others in the heats; it’s not his fault that the others did not turn up for the final,” Mehta stated.
India ranks second within the variety of doping violations behind Russia, based on the newest report by the World Anti-Doping Company.
In August, high Indian sprinter Dutee Chand was banned from competitors for 4 years after failing two doping assessments, and a 14-year-old swimmer was provisionally suspended after testing constructive for a banned substance.
P.S.M. Chandran, a sports activities drugs knowledgeable, informed AFP that EPO is a prescription drug used to deal with anaemia and sure forms of cancers however “is easily available over the counter”.
It boosts blood oxygen-carrying capability, however will be dangerous if misused, he warned.
“Athletes are not bothered about the side effects,” Chandran stated. “They just want to win a medal at any cost.”