New Strides in Dope Control

New Strides in Dope Control

To ensure clean and dope free sports in India, National Anti-Doping Agency has adopted several methods recently. Consequently, the detection rate stood at a maximum of 4.3% during the year 2018-19. As a result, this year maximum 187 players were charged for violating the anti-doping rules.

National Anti-Doping Agency has carried out the following measures that resulted in improvement in identification of dope cheats.

1. Scientific techniques were adopted for risk assessment of sports and sportspersons.

2. The Test Distribution Planning was done in methodical way, so that proper testing of suspected athletes may be conducted at the right time.

3. Detection of prohibited substances has been performed on the basis of sports-specific analysis.

4. Independent Observer Program has been launched to ensure the quality of the sample collection.

5. In 2018-19, Athlete Biological Program was implemented, which resulted into 44 dope tests.

6. Elite players were enrolled under Registered Testing Pool (RTP) and tested on regular basis.

7. In order to detect intake of performance enhancing drugs by athletes, a record high of 366 blood samples were collected by NADA, which was even higher than the high target for blood sample collection.

8. Dope testing for Erythropoietin-Stimulating Agents and Growth Hormone-Releasing Factor (GHRF) was increased and stood at 147% and 152%, respectively of the prescribed targets.

9. As many as 81 athletes were sanctioned during year 2018-19 for various anti doping rule violations.

10. During Khelo India Youth Games at Pune, total 476 dope tests were conducted.

11. As many as 40 Anti-Doping Awareness sessions covering 3201 young athletes during Khelo India Youth Games were conducted in January 2019.

12. During Asian Games maximum number (498) of dope tests were performed on Indian athletes. NADA also conducted dope tests of 54 athletes in training camps abroad.

13. The percentage of total dope tests (4348) conducted during year 2018-19 was observed to be 114% of the target.

To combat doping at wider level, various new sportslike Soft-Tennis, Karate, Kho-Kho, Squash, Roller Skating, Billiards and Boating have been incorporated in dope control program, in year 2018-19.

To prevent doping in sports, NADA has been conducting various Anti-Doping Awareness Programs at National Camps, Universities, and Colleges and during various championships.

In year 2018-19 total 90 Anti-Doping Awareness Programs were conducted in different parts of India, wherein the athletes and their coaches were educated about ill-effects of doping and were asked to support clean and dope-free sports in India.

To ensure clean and dope-free sports in India, NADA has started its dope testing even at State-level.