Despite growing concerns to curb doping menace, no dope tests conducted at North Zone Junior Athletics meet in Haryana

Nearly a fortnight after the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) and sports ministry made dope tests mandatory during state track and field competitions across India, National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) officials are absent from the September 2-4 North Zone Junior Athletics Championship being held in Karnal, Haryana.

“NADA officials haven’t come to conduct dope tests,” one of the officials of the Haryana State Athletics body told Sportskeeda on Saturday.

In a meeting under the Chairmanship of the Secretary of Sports, attended by AFI and Sports Authority of India (SAI) on August 22 and 23, stakeholders decided to curb the menace of doping at the grassroots by making dope tests mandatory during state meets.

“Dope test is mandatory during state meetings. State meets will be conducted on the dates as per the calendar submitted to the AFI,” the AFI circular issued to all the its state affiliated units said. “NADA will take appropriate action regarding the conduct of dope tests during state meets. You are requested to cooperate to facilitate for the efficient fair conduct of the dope tests by NADA officials.”

The athletics national body further warned that whoever doesn't cooperate in this regard will not have their state meeting results validated by the AFI.

A couple of years ago, the AFI issued a circular to have dope tests mandatory during state meets. The practice, however, was discontinued after a year or so.

“In the last six to seven years, dope tests were conducted twice during the Delhi State Athletics Meeting,” a Delhi-based athletics coach told Sportskeeda.

Last month at the Haryana State Athletics Championships held in Rohtak, a large number of disposal syringes were seen strewn across the track. The AFI has a no-needle policy.

“NADA officials didn’t come for dope test,” one of the officials associated with the state meeting said. “If NADA officials come for dope tests, half of the athletes will leave the stadium.”

The Delhi State Athletics Championship is generally conducted at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, which is at a stone's throw distance from the NADA office.

“It will be a big deterrent to doping at the grassroots if NADA officials conduct out-of-competition dope tests at least once a month,” a former national sprinter concluded.