‘Some Asian athletes yet to undergo dope tests’

At least 10 track and field athletes, mostly relay runners, are yet to undergo dope tests, though the Indian team for next month’s Asian Championships in China leaves the country in three days’ time, according to sources.

This may lead to a situation where India sends athletes to the championships whose dope status is not known as it is unlikely to get the results of the tests conducted on them before their May 30 departure.

The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has selected 20 athletes for the June 3-7 Asian Athletics Championships in Wuhan and they will name the relay runners (men’s and women’s 4x100m and 4x400) after trials at NIS Patiala and Bangalore on Wednesday. It is learnt that the AFI has asked the NADA to take dope samples of the relay runners after the trials on Wednesday and sources said that this was being done after some athletes, including women <g data-gr-id="26">quartermilers</g>, went missing when a World Anti-Doping Agency dope testing team visited the SAI-LNCPE, Thiruvananthapuram early this month. 

Significantly, the trials of the women’s 4x400m relay, which was earlier scheduled to be held in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday, has been shifted to NIS Patiala. The <g data-gr-id="27">quartermilers</g> camping at SAI-LNCPE, Thiruvananthapuram will now have trials at NIS Patiala.

“It is not a secret that at least seven <g data-gr-id="19">quartermilers</g> went missing when a WADA team came calling at Thiruvananthapuram. Somebody tipped them off and they left the center the day prior to the WADA team arrives. I feel that the top brass of the AFI knew the seriousness of the situation and they have shifted the trial to Patiala,” a coach said.