The doping controversy at the ongoing World Cup Kabaddi Meet seems far from over with five more players being tested positive for banned substances taking the list of dope offenders to 12.
As per information received, two from Canada, one each from UK, Australia and Italy failed the dope tests.
The players have been suspended and barred from taking part in the competition till their names are cleared. The tests are being conducted by National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) and they have dispatched three teams to the venues, which will test the participants in the Cup.
Before start of the tournament, a special five-member anti-doping committee had been formed and Dr. Manmohan Singh and Dr. Munish Chander were made Chairman and Convener respectively.
Chander confirmed that as many as 84 samples have been taken already. Yesterday, three players participating in the ongoing Cup had failed dope tests and were stopped from taking any further part in the tournament.
The organising committee of the event had also issued notices to the players of Group B pool, who were from the United States, Spain and Argentina.
Two days back, the Organising Committee had temporarily suspended four players who had tested positive for banned substances after NADA test results were declared.
Out of the four, two were from Australia while one each from Germany and Canada .
According to the Organising Secretary of the Cup and former Indian hockey captain, Pargat Singh, the organising committee was committed to ensure dope free tournament.
"Kabaddi is an unorganized sector (Kabaddi as a sport). It is not governed at the world level and to some extent, I would also say lack of knowledge…(among players adds to the problem," Pargat admitted.