31 July,2009 08:28 AM IST | | Clayton Murzello
Fearing their privacy being taken away by anti-doping methods, do indian cricketers know that even other sporting legends face the same?
India's top cricketers have a problem sharing information of their whereabouts in order to ensure International Cricket Council's anti-doping campaign runs smoothly as per rules set by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). But the rules are not just for cricketers. Great sportsmen like tennis stalwarts Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, cycling kings Lance Armstrong and Alberto Contador have to do the same.
If the likes of Federer and Nadal are doing it, why do the Indian stars have a problem is a question that will be thrown at the Indian cricket board. Unfortunately, we live in a world where rules have to be followed.
"During the trial period the overwhelming majority of players from all countries except India submitted whereabouts information," ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat told MiD DAY yesterday.
"I understand and appreciate that there will be some concerns and reservations from all players and I am sure they feel that those concerns are genuine. But there are tens of thousands of athletes worldwide who are currently part of a similar process and who are also likely to have had similar concerns."
Big question
The big question is what did the BCCI do to sort out this issue before the July 31 deadline? After all, the Board knew about the players' reservations way back in March after they were briefed on anti-doping methods during their tour of New Zealand. This was first reported in MiD DAY.
The doping issue could end up being an ugly battle between the most financially strong cricket establishment in the world and the game's apex body after Sunday's BCCI working committee meeting. And how come an emergency meeting was announced a only few days before the deadline? The players' concerns are genuine too and the ICC would do well to spell out the problems to WADA.
Nadal did not appreciate doping tests eating into his privacy. His personal experience is a pointer to what the cricketers would face.u00a0 The Spaniard, not known to hold back on and off the court, reacted sharply to the methods and urged anti-doping authorities to stop "harassing" tennis players. "Not even my mother knows where I am every day. It is very difficult to know where you are going to be tomorrow especially in a sport like tennis," he said earlier this year.
The solution may lie in ICC spelling out the problems to WADA but just like Nadal spoke about the system, it won't hurt too much if some of cricket's big names speak candidly about the difficulties.
