The International Cricket Council has been given until November 2011 to adhere to all clauses of the World Anti-Doping Agency’s code. The bone of contention has been the contentious ‘whereabouts’ clause, which India’s cricketers refuse to accept.
The Wada deadline gives the ICC some more time to convince the Board of Control for Cricket in India without putting the 2011 World Cup under the scanner. Wada director general David Howman felt that it was time for the ICC to give the ‘final push’ and get its member countries to accept the Wada code.
“ICC is the international federation and it is their duty to ensure compliance of its members. I see no legal reason for deviation from the whereabouts clause,” Howman told the media on Tuesday.
Howman, who is here to attend the 7th Asia-Oceania inter-governmental meeting on anti-doping in sports in the city, added, “We are going to submit our next compliance report in November 2011 and by that time if the ICC fails to convince its member boards, we will declare them ‘non-compliant’ to the International Olympic Committee.
“We don’t have the purview to take actions against any non-complaint member, it is the IOC and respective Olympic Council’s prerogative.“
Wada was also prepared to have a dialogue with India’s top cricketers about the whereabouts clause. “More than 13,000 of the world’s top sportsmen have signed on for the whereabouts clause. There are no constitutional problems and no breach of privacy. Former India captain Anil Kumble is a member of Wada and even he has not raised any issues about the clause. But I will be more than happy to engage in a discussion with the cricketers,” the Wada director general added.
National Anti-Doping Agency director general Rahul Bhatnagar said that even though Indians have not signed on to the Wada code, about 200 cricketers have already been tested during competitions.
“Cricket comes pretty low down in the priority list when we talk about dope-infested sports. Incidents of doping are generally low in cricket as compared to disciplines like weightlifting and wrestling. So out of about 1400 samples of athletes tested last year, about 200 were of cricketers,” Bhatnagar said.
Wada is also concerned at the role of the underworld promotion of doping. “We are working closely with Interpol to stop trafficking of drugs and develop laws so that this challenge can be met. Even the underworld is now closely involved in this, because it’s easy money and not illegal to provide these drugs,” Howman said.
“The money from betting and match-fixing is being channelled into this area. It is a major concern for us since it leads to the deterioration in health of young athletes — both men and women — around the world.”
Meanwhile, on testing of the core group of athletes ahead of the October 3 to 14 Delhi Commonwealth Games, Bhatnagar said, “We have completed testing about 80 per cent of the athletes and the rest will be done in the next couple of months. We are doing our best to ensure a dope-free CWG.”