Wednesday, Apr 09, 2003
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Sports : General
By Our Special Correspondent
The federations concerned have been given time till April 21 to complete the exercise of intimating the offenders and seeking their preferences about `B' sample testing. At least two of them, rower Lakshman Singh, and an unidentified weightlifter, had tested positive for their `B' samples also. Lakshman faced a life-ban, it was explained. The IOA Secretary-General, Mr. Randhir Singh, addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, said that offenders were being given an opportunity to get their `B' samples tested at an accredited laboratory abroad. Asked whether such a procedure would fit into the regulations of either the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) or the international federations, Mr. Singh said that it was being resorted to since the Sports Authority of India (SAI) laboratory here did not have the necessary accreditation from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Mr. Singh did not agree with a suggestion that procedural irregularities connected with the `A' sample and `B' sample testing might lead to a situation by which offending athletes would be able to get away leniently. Out of the 22 positives, there were as many as nine cases of nandrolone, including that of Lakshman Singh. Nandrolone, it may be mentioned here, has in recent years emerged as the most popular steroid among sportspersons world-wide. Though in the normal course a steroid offence like nandrolone attracts a minimum two-year suspension (four in the case of swimming), it was announced that Lakshman, a bronze winner in the single scull event at the last National Games, faced a life-ban. The Secretary of the Rowing Federation of India (RFI), Mr. C.P. Singh Deo, said that as per the international federation (FISA) rules, an offence involving nandrolone was to be sanctioned with a life-ban. He was not in a position to elaborate on the rules nor confirm whether that was the only punishment listed under the rules. Lakshman Singh, a Chandigarh rower, had not tested positive any time earlier, Mr. Singh Deo confirmed. The RFI is seeking an opinion from FISA about the action to be taken against Lakshman. Whether the rower is eventually slapped with a life-ban by the RFI and/or the FISA is to be seen only since international federations do not normally accept dope-tests conducted by non-accredited laboratories nor is there a provision under the WADA rules. The FISA rules clearly state that dope-testing could be done only at accredited laboratories. Interestingly, the FISA anti-doping rules, though they broadly follow the Olympic Movement Anti Doping Code, do have a provision for a life-ban for a first-time steroid offence. In a majority of cases with other international federations, only a second offence attracts such a severe punishment. Lakshman's fate is likely to hinge on the question of the status of the lab that carried out the tests. There were five gold medal winners, four silver and four bronze winners among the 22 positive cases, Mr. Singh disclosed. He said that it would be premature to reveal those names or disciplines involved where `B' sample procedures were yet to be gone through. As already mentioned in these columns, the 22 cases comprised eight in athletics, seven in weightlifting, three in boxing and one each in cycling, rowing, swimming and volleyball. Notwithstanding the handicap that the non-accredited laboratory forced on the IOA and the federations, Mr. Singh felt that it was time a serious effort was made to root out the doping menace. He could not, however, explain why so many positive cases from the Punjab National Games were not processed or pursued. He admitted that the IOA's role would be limited to stripping the athletes of their medals and adjusting the placings. It would be up to the federations to impose suspensions, if any, on the competitors. Mr. Randhir Singh said that following the Sunita Rani doping case fiasco, the Seoul laboratory was being "downgraded". He said efforts were on to get temporary accreditation for the SAI lab here for the duration of the Afro-Asian Games, to be held in Hyderabad in October-November this year.
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