NADA raids SAI centre in Bangalore: Gets hold of some ’suspicious’ items

Fate of over 90 athletes lies in the balance, as urine samples and questionable items recovered during check are sent to New Delhi for analysis

NADA raids SAI centre in Bangalore: Gets hold of some 'suspicious' items

Fate of over 90 athletes lies in the balance, as urine samples and questionable items recovered during check are sent to New Delhi for analysis
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Clamping down with an iron grip on doping among athletes, officials of the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) conducted a surprise check on the Sports Authority of India (SAI) centre in the city early yesterday morning and seized some items of dubious nature from the premises.

Put to the test? Weight lifters coming out of the Sports Medicine Centre
after their medical tests. Pic/Ramesh HS

The officials collected urine samples from over 90 athletes, whose fate now hangs in the balance pending results of the medical reports. While searching 51 hostel rooms and conducting tests on two coaches, the team discovered some suspicious items from four rooms. The seized material will now be sent to NADA's main office in New Delhi, where post further tests, the fate of these athletes and coaches will be decided.

Bated breath?
"We have been here for over six hours and are not aware of what is going to happen next," said a female athlete. Other athletes refused to talk about what transpired inside the four rooms from where 'items of suspicious nature' were found.

However, former national athlete Mohammed Mustaqeem alleged, "There is rampant doping going on in the Bangalore centre, where I used to train a few years ago. Such cases increased after Russian coaches were brought down to train the athletes. They know how to fool the doping test in big games, and they give athletes just about the right quantity of steroids to hoodwink the system. In most cases, athletes who want to achieve success quickly, follow their coaches' instructions and land up in a soup if caught."

Several athletes were observed hovering around the premises with scared faces, awaiting any word on further proceedings in the matter. As they await their fate, the NADA main office has sent out a strong message stating that it will not spare any athlete indulging in doping.

Strong stance
At 8 am, a team of NDA deputed officers from Delhi, including a lady doctor led by Project Director V Jayaraman, conducted the surprise check at SAI. "The team raided rooms of 30 women and 21 men and collected samples of food supplements and other medicines found in four rooms. These samples have been sealed and will be taken for testing at the Delhi office. Urine samples of 20 weightlifters and swimmers were also taken on a random basis, which will be sent to National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL) for testing," said Rahul Bhatnagar, Director General, NADA.

Meanwhile, Jayaraman did not reveal what the 'suspicious items' were. "We have found a lot of material and we are not aware if these are illegal or otherwise. We can draw conclusions only after the reports are filed," he said. While many await the reports with bated breath, the NADA has made it clear that strict disciplinary action will be initiated against athletes and coaches found guilty.

Anyone's guess?
Possible proceedings if the material found is illegal