Indians not taking drugs: Muthiah

By Our Sports Reporter

CHENNAI, JULY 8. Mr. A.C. Muthiah, president, Board of Control for Cricket in India, believes none of the Indian cricketers are taking drugs to enhance their performances.

Speaking to the mediapersons, after being unanimously re-elected president of the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA), Mr. Muthiah noted if a player had been administered a drug for the treatment of an injury then it cannot be viewed seriously.

However, if a cricketer had taken steroids or other banned substances only to better his performances, then the Board will come down on him, he noted.

Talking about testing cricketers for drugs in the domestic circuit to nip the problem in the bud, if it existed, Mr. Muthiah said, the BCCI would have to be careful here, for such a facility could be misunderstood. The Board would first set up a foolproof infrastructure for such testing before enforcing it in collaboration with the International Cricket Council (ICC).

On the recent threats to leading Indian cricketers like Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly from extremist outfits, Mr. Muthiah revealed the BCCI would approach the police to provide these cricketers adequate protection.

Mr. Muthiah said the BCCI anti-corruption chief Mr. K. Madhavan would submit his report on the controversial Ahmedabad Test to the Board soon. Mr. Madhavan had spoken to Tendulkar regarding the Test before the superstar embarked on the tour of Zimbabwe.

The BCCI chief observed that the Board planned sterner measures to tackle the menace of over-aged cricketers in the age- group competitions.

On playing cricket against Pakistan, he said the signs were very positive now for the resumption of bilateral contests. Mr. Muthiah hoped the forthcoming summit between the Indian Prime Minister Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee and Pakistan President Mr. Pervez Musharraf, would pave the way in this direction.

Coming to the performance of the Indian team in Zimbabwe, Mr. Muthiah said though the team lacked luck. He was particularly impressed with the performances of all-rounder Reetinder Singh Sodhi and wicket-keeper batsman Sameer Dighe, who, he added, provided the batting with depth.

Though the Indians lost in the final of the triangular series, they fought bravely, he said.

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