CHENNAI: Doping casualties before medal count. This seems to be early trend at the Commonwealth Games, which India are planning to host in 2030. Another Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) has rocked India's campaign. Once again involving a judoka. A day after Arun Kumar (-73kg) was withdrawn from the CWG for failing an out-of-competition dope test, Tulika Maan, the 2022 Birmingham CWG silver-medallist, is at the receiving end this time for three whereabouts failures in the last 12 months. Arun was handed a provisional suspension by the NADA for testing positive for an anabolic steroid. An weightlifter was withdrawn because of multiple ADRVs due to which quota was reduced.
It was learnt that Tulika, who is listed with the National Anti-Doping Agency's (NADA's) registered testing pool (RTP), mailed her whereabouts instead of using the Anti-Doping Administration & Management System (ADAMS). A Judo Federation of India (JFI) source said that she has been given an opportunity to present her side during a hearing scheduled on Saturday. "We spoke to Tulika and asked why she failed to furnish her whereabouts. She told us that she mailed her whereabouts. That's why we asked her to show her mails to the NADA team during the hearing," a JFI source said. Interestingly, there is a provision through which an athlete can update their whereabouts hours before a surprise test.
The source, however, said the possibility of Tulika competing in Glasgow looks slim at the moment. "It (Tulika's chance of getting a clean chit) looks difficult as she is an experienced judoka and knows very well that whereabouts have to be provided through ADAMS. But that was the last resort and that's why we opted to go for it."
Though there is a similarity of an early hearing like in the case of wrestler Narsingh Yadav before the Rio Olympics, where NADA gave him clearance to compete, this time getting a clean chit might be difficult. After NADA clearance, the Court of Arbitration struck down the NADA order and barred Narsingh from competing. The sport was being managed by a court appointed administrator before the recently formed interim JFI committee.
Tulika also represented the country at the 2024 Paris Olympics where she made an exit in the round of 32.
Apart from the two judokas, the Indian weightlifting team also suffered a setback when their quota was reduced by one due to ADRVs. Already forced to field only 12 lifters instead of 16 (eight men and as many women) due to doping violations, the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF) was forced to withdraw Dilbag Singh (94kg) even as he had reached Glasgow along with other selected lifters. The IWLF sent 12 selected lifters (seven women and five men) to a 25-day training camp in Birmingham ahead of the CWG. Dilbag was part of the team but surprisingly the IWLF said it chose to withdraw the lifter competing in the 94kg as he was nursing a back injury and didn't train in Birmingham. As has been the case, the federation chose not to list out reasons why Dilbag was taken to Birmingham and allowed to stay there for more than three weeks despite injury.
How to update whereabouts
The NADA clearly says that all athletes should use ADAMS to update their whereabouts information. All athletes in the RTP need to provide accurate whereabouts information every quarter in advance.
This information must include home address, email address, phone number, work schedule, training venues and training schedule. In addition they must also provide overnight accommodation addresses and competition schedules. ADAMS can and should be used even while travelling or for unplanned emergencies. It will help Dope Control Officers (DCOs) find them on any given day.
ADAMS also has an SMS service (provided you enter your phone number on your profile) to help update information. Athletes can save the SMS number provided on their website and use it accordingly. They can also use the Athlete Central App to submit and update whereabouts information.
Whereabouts failures
Three whereabouts failures — failure to inform accurately or missed tests in a 12 month period — may be considered an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) and result in sanctions
Filing failure
Whereabouts must be submitted to NADA India by the deadline. The filing is considered a failure
If it is not submitted by the deadline.
If it is inaccurate or incomplete.
If it does not include all required information. Eg: it omits to declare a regular activity or location athlete is in, during the quarter.
If an athlete is not found at the listed location when attempted.