CHENNAI: The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) has been more or less grounded since a nation-wide lockdown was declared in March due to the coronavirus. Zero samples were collected in April and that has continued to be the case so far, in May. Even test distribution system is still in planning stage as there’s no clarity over resumption of sporting activities.
However, while the machine as a whole remains immobilised, individual parts of it have begun revving back into life. Last week, NADA began holding disciplinary hearings via video-conferencing. That process has continued with a hearing held on Wednesday and others scheduled for Friday and Monday. As far as testing is concerned, NADA hasn’t been able to conduct any since the lockdown started. There have been talks of adjusting the testing plan to make up for the backlog, ever since the coronavirus pandemic started, but prevailing uncertainty over when the various training camps and competitions will be held is making it difficult for NADA to draw up a plan now.
“Sample collection has not been happening during the lockdown period,” said Navin Agarwal, NADA director-general. “As soon as the lockdown is lifted and the dope control officers are free to move, we will begin sample collection. When the local administrations allow movements in and out of the various training centres and some training activity begins there, we will commence out-of-competition testing.
“We are working on the test distribution plan and how it has to be re-adjusted as per the situation. The whole thing is, nobody is being able to predict what the situation will be like. No federation has commented on how much time it will take for the competitions to begin. When the federations are able to come up with a proper blueprint on when the training camps will be held and when the various competitions will be organised, only then will we be able to get a fair idea on what our own testing plans will be. Our testing programme is, by and large, based on the various competitions and camps. Of course, besides that we have the RTP tests and biological passport, but they’re only a small fraction of the total testing that we do.”
Agarwal said that the option to have their hearings held via video-conferencing will be available to athletes who want it. “We had asked all the athletes who were found to be dope positive and whose hearings were yet to be conducted, whether they were willing to have their hearings via video conferencing,” he said. “Most of the appeal cases have said no, that they want a face-to-face hearing. They have told us that they can wait till the lockdown is over. For disciplinary cases, many of them have not replied at all. But whosever conveys willingness, we will organise an online hearing. On Friday, two hearings were held and on Monday, two hearings were held.”