BCCI has been in a situation of serious disagreement with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) as they are supporting Indian cricketers for not submitting themselves to drug testing regimen. I can also put Indian cricket in a major crisis situation.
WADA has asked ICC to direct the BCCI, to allow the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) to test the Indian cricketers. If BCCI fails to do so, NADA will no longer be accredited by WADA and that could endanger the well-being of many athletes across different sports in India.
World Anti-DoAgencygency has written a letter to the Indian sports minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore about this issue. If NADA loses its agreement with the Wada Code, it could inflame Indian sport’s fight against doping and also negatively impact its participation in global sports. India will not have any WADA accredited dope testing agency if NADA loses his agreement because of BCCI.
WADA director Oliver Niggli gave a warning to Indian sports minister that BCCI should urgently ensure that NADA can implement dope testing across Indian cricket with BCCI’s help. Niggli wrote in his letter that “Without this cooperation, India’s Nada may risk its compliance with the Wada Code as its testing programme will not be fully effective.. We are following up with the ICC for assistance in addressing this issue. It’s our understanding that Nada’s anti-doping rules give it full jurisdiction and authority over all sports in India.”
Sports minister Rathore has directed former sports secretary Injeti Srinivas to contact matters with BCCI officials. While, Srinivas wrote to CoA, “Nada’s anti-doping rules, which were approved by the Cabinet, give it full jurisdiction and authority to implement the anti-doping measures with respect to all sports in India, including cricket.”Therefore, kindly intervene and facilitate Nada to implement the anti-doping programme with respect to cricket in India with full cooperation of the BCCI. In the absence of this, Nada may run the risk of becoming non-compliant with the Wada Code. With your (Rai’s) support, we can rectify the present situation arising out of BCCI’s non-cooperation and help Nada become fully compliant of the Wada Code.”
Talking about the same, NADA DG Navin Agarwal said: “Wada is very serious about dope testing in Indian cricket this time around. That’s why they have taken up the matter with the ministry, which, in turn, has written to Mr. Rai.”
However, one of the sources of TOI said, “There are two things to understand. One, BCCI is not a private entity…it’s a public body discharging public functions as ordered by the Supreme Court. Also, the ICC is the parent body of the BCCI. After ICC became a Wada signatory in 2006, Nada sees no reason behind BCCI’s objection to becoming its signatory. If BCCI does not act this time, it could find itself in serious trouble.”
BCCI opposes to WADA’s limitation of out-of-competition dope testing, for which cricketers would have to let the agency know of their location at all times. The cricketers have to reports the details of their whereabouts for a one-hour window every day when not playing competitively. Players say that it is an invasion of their safety and privacy.
In order to counter the situation, BCCI hires International Dope Tests and Management (IDTM), a private anti-doping agency, which WADA doesn’t recognize.
