CHENNAI: With the number of dope offenders increasing alarmingly and usage of drugs little known in India, it is not exactly an ideal scenario for the country ahead of the Tokyo Olympics.
Be it Neeraj Phogat testing positive for anabolic agent ligandrol (not a legal drug) or shooters getting caught for beta blockers, the fact that these substances are available so easily is not a good sign. But to keep a tab on that, the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) on Wednesday had a meeting with the officers of Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) to discuss the illegal trafficking of prohibited drugs in India.
With some of these drugs only a click away online, the CDSCO has agreed to take necessary actions. Availability of prescription drugs over the counter has been a major concern for anti-doping agencies for a while.
A suggestion during the meeting was to mark prescription drugs with different labels so that the athletes will know what’s at stake and think twice before purchasing them. "The meeting was basically to discuss the regulation of prohibited substances," said NADA director general Navin Agarwal.
“Of course, it is alright for those who actually require them. But it should not be accessible to healthy individuals, such as sportspersons, without prescriptions. These drugs are banned in India but they are found in the market and are being smuggled from other countries. But they have assured me that the necessary action will be taken. It was a very positive meeting.”
Navin also said that we need to keep in check the distribution of these substances. The source of many of these substances was another point that was discussed. The NADA has also agreed that CDSCO officials could speak with athletes who have been caught for doping offences and know about the origin or procurement of the banned drugs.