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2 dope tests for athletes before London Olympic Games

To avoid any last-minute embarrassment, the National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) plans to trap potential cheats before the London Olympics begin.

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To avoid any last-minute embarrassment, the National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) plans to trap potential cheats before the London Olympics begin.

NADA directory-general Rahul Bhatnagar said they will test every athlete who has qualified for the quadrennial mega event at least twice. It has already started conducting the out-of-competition tests on the athletes who have booked a London berth. The second round of tests will be done in June when more or less the entire contingent will be finalised.

Around 35 sportspersons from various disciplines have qualified for the London Olympics so far. “We are working according to the guidelines set by the World Anti Doping Agency. We hope this system will help us catch the cheats and ensure that India doesn’t suffer any embarrassment during the Olympics,” Bhatnagar said. “No athlete will be able to avoid these tests. We will not hesitate to raid an athlete’s home if necessary.”

Weightlifting has been a discipline in which India has had majority number of dope cases. However, the recent failed tests by the star women athletes have set alarm bells ringing, according to Bhatnagar. “Athletes, knowingly or unknowingly, will fall into that trap. We mustn’t forget that the expectations from the Indian athletes are higher than ever. So the lure to take the short cut is also more,” he reasoned. “We’ll conduct the tests in two parts.

Currently, our agents are already performing random surprise tests on the athletes who have qualified. Once that process is done, we will conduct the tests again in June. During the Games, of course, the WADA will be conducting the dope tests.”

India’s major Olympic doping embarrassment came in the 2004 Athens Games. Weightlifter Sanamacha Chanu, who finished fourth in the 53kg category, was disqualified after she tested positive for banned substances.

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