The story appears on

Page A15

August 4, 2009

GET this page in PDF

Free for subscribers

View shopping cart

Related News

Home » Sports » Cricket

BCCI told to fall in line over WADA doping rule

THE Olympic Council of Asia chief has urged India's national cricketers to fall in line and accept the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) "whereabouts" rule.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) rejected the WADA's clause on Sunday, backing its players' refusal to sign up due to security and privacy issues.

The Indian cricketers missed the August 1 deadline to comply with the regulations, saying they backed the WADA code but arguing that the whereabouts clause was "unreasonable".

OCA secretary-general Randhir Singh dismissed the cricketers' concerns.

"The players must fall in line with the WADA clause," Singh said yesterday. "The international body (ICC) recognizes the code. They should look into the problem and solve it."

The BCCI has said some of its players cannot reveal their whereabouts as they had security cover due to militant threats.

Players have to inform the designated official where they would be for one hour daily, up to three months in advance.

"Security is not only for these 10 or 11 players, it is there for thousands of other sportsmen around the world," Singh said. "We must follow rules and regulations, not try and create any controversy this time."

Adherence to the WADA rules has become even more important with cricket part of the 2010 Asian Games program, but Singh was confident India would comply with the doping clause soon.

"I don't think the issue will go that far," he said. "It looks like a question of misunderstanding. I hope the BCCI will be able to explain it to them and the issue will be over soon. The players should understand there is no draconian law going against them," he said. "It is a simple test. In today's world of sport you have to go through this because of the problem of doping."

The ICC became a WADA signatory in 2006.





 

Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.

沪公网安备 31010602000204号

Email this to your friend