CHENNAI: Numbers can be exciting and if they are associated with doping it gets even more interesting. In terms of anti-doping drive, the year 2022-23 (April 2022-March 2023) has been quite eventful. There has been quite a revelation in the annual report of the National Anti-Doping Agency published on its website recently. Some of the top names in Indian sports tested positive and the testing numbers had almost doubled. Ritu Sain was the director general of NADA during that period.
Going by the numbers published in the NADA annual reports (financial year: 2022-23), the total number of samples collected has increased to 4342 (both urine and blood) from 2547 in 2021-22. The increase in numbers meant positive tests too had increased. According to the 2022-23 statistics, there were 142 adverse analytical findings (AAF; positive cases). There were 2596 (2537 urine and 59 blood samples) in-competition sample collection while out-of-competition the collection figures were 1746 (1457 urine and 289 blood).
Among the 142, athletics once again topped the charts with 49 doping cases, followed by weightlifting (22), wrestling (17) and powerlifting (13). As many as 45 sportspersons have invoked Rule 10.8.1 of NADA anti-doping rule (NADR) that reduces punishment by one year for early admission and acceptance of consequences. In 2021-22, the AAF was only 39.
During the period, 80 cases were decided by the anti-doping disciplinary panel. Quarter-miler and former Asian Games medallist MR Poovamma, javelin thrower Shivpal Singh, and weightlifter Sanjita Chanu were some high-profile cases decided and there were seven cases of evasion. The Anti-Doping Appeals Panel (ADAP), on the other hand, adjudicated 20 cases.
Another interesting figure in the report was the number of cricketers seeking Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE). The report says that 13 cricketers sought TUE out of a total 27 sportspersons. Athletics that had the maximum number of positive cases had just one TUE request which was ‘refused’. Swimming had six out of which four were granted.
The NADA spent close to `3 crores in testing samples in Belgium during the year 2021-22, when the National Dope Testing Laboratory was suspended by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). The NDTL was reinstated in December 2021. In 2021-22, NADA analysed samples in countries like Qatar (Doha) and the Netherlands as well. The figure came down to `25,89,990 for testing in Belgium in 2022-23. Interestingly, the NADA paid `1 crore to NDTL for testing samples. The total amount spent as listed under dope testing charges is `6.80 crore (approx) in 2022-23 as against `3.70 crore in 2021-22.
The NADA, this time, did not engage the International Testing Agency to collect samples abroad. According to the audit report, it had paid external agency Clearidium `22,28,640 for sample collection. The NADA has received `16.31 crore as grant in aid from the sports ministry and according to the report, out of the total `17.52 crore (including unspent funds of .42 crore and receipts of Rs .79 crore) it spent `16.96 crore. For dope collecting kits, the report says, NADA spent `85 crore.