No pre-tournament dope tests on Indian players: BCCI

JAIPUR: Should the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) now introduce a procedure to conduct regular doping tests? Not yet, it seems. “We don’t have any such procedure as of now and we don’t think there is a need for it as yet. But there’re certain guidelines already in place which the players have to adhere to,” said BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah.

“We’ve educated the players about doping and we believe they’ll adhere to it.” But is good faith enough in such a kind of a situation?

“Our players are aware of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) policy and its implications and we’ve also instructed our physio John Gloster to give them adequate inputs about the same,” said Shah.

“If any player indulges in doping thereafter, it is his fault.”

He added: “The ICC have their regular procedure of conducting random dope tests in between matches and they will continue doing it. And whenever the BCCI thinks it is important to introduce dope testing in cricket, we’ll certainly meet to discuss the issue,” said Shah. He also declared that none of the Indian players were tested so far by the ICC.