In run-up to Rio Olympics, athletes under TOPS to undergo stringent checks to control doping

NADA has already intimated the federations of the seven disciplines (see box) covered under TOPS to furnish a list of 20 to 30 names of athletes who are potential medal winners. NADA will in-turn inform these athletes — who will now be part of the National Testing Pool — about the responsibility to provide their whereabouts and how to go about the process.

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“With the Olympics to be held next year in Rio and a number of events lined-up in the run up to the Games, implementing Athletes Whereabouts will ensure that potential medal winners, including those who are being funded by the government, are being monitored properly. Whereabouts will help anti-doping officers to locate an athlete without any prior notice and will also act as a deterrent,” NADA director general GSG Ayyangar said.

The Athletes Whereabouts will complement the existing in-competition and out-of-competition testing, which means all athletes, including those who are part of the National Testing Pool, can be tested any time and at any location.

Presently, in order to conduct out-of-competition tests, NADA goes by the schedule of national camps provided by the Sports Authority of India. NADA officials conduct tests after visiting the venues where the camps are held, but there is no guarantee that a particular athlete will be present at the camp.

However, once the Whereabouts clause is adhered to, an athlete who is part of the National Testing Pool will have to intimate NADA in advance if there is a change in his or her location to what was originally declared.

Athletes included in the National Testing Pool will have to fill their whereabouts information for every quarter on a form that will be provided (online and hard copy) by NADA and can update or make a change in the location or the 60-minute window by emailing NADA.

“Sportspersons who are required to give information about whereabouts can update NADA about any changes,” Ayyangar added.

In the absence of reliable whereabouts information, NADA’s officers have at times been in the dark when it comes to locating an athlete for testing. Such a scenario occurred when Manjeet Kaur, part of the 2010 CWG and Asiad gold-medal winning women’s relay team, could not be tested when dope-control officers conducted surprise tests at the National Institute of Sport in Patiala on more than one occasion.

Incidentally, Manjeet’s teammates failed dope tests and were subsequently banned. She also refused to undergo a dope test at the Federation Cup in 2012 following which NADA issued her an anti-doping rule violation.

EXPLAINED

What is new?

Elite athletes who are part of the International Testing Pool of their respective federations already provide their whereabouts. Now, a larger number of Indian athletes will have to provide whereabouts. This is because medal prospects, including Olympic hopefuls and those part of the Target Olympic Podium Scheme will be named in the National Testing Pool  and will have to provide their Whereabouts. 800 metre specialist Tintu Luka and long jumper Aprinder Singh are part of the IAAF’s international testing pool.

How are tests conducted currently?

Out-of-competition testing is being conducted by NADA based on the schedule of national camps conducted by various federations. This is in addition to in-competition tests. However, knowing where a sportsperson will be based during a chosen 60-minute window everyday of the year will help in better monitoring of athletes and more effective dope testing. Between April 1, 2014 and March 31, 2015, the National Anti-Doping Agency conducted 4535 urine dope testing and 318 blood dope testing (out of competition and in-competition) of which 93 samples tested positive.

Which are the disciplines  to be  covered under Whereabouts?

Federations of the following sports —athletics, archery, badminton, boxing, shooting, wrestling and sailing — essentially those under the TOPS will have to furnish a list of athletes, who will form part of the NTP.

What do those in the NTP have to do?

Those athletes in the NTP will have to select a 60-minute window (for example 8am to 9 am or 4pm to 5 pm) during which they will be available at a particular location in order to allow dope control officers of the National Anti-Doping Agency to conduct dope tests.