CHENNAI: Imagine this. An athlete barely in his or her teens and he or she has started doping. In other words, at a stage when they develop physically and mentally, they are exposed to substances that can hamper growth. What must be distressing is that 14, 15 and 16-year-old athletes figure on the National Anti-Doping Agency’s ‘list of ineligible athletes’. Doping in the grassroots is indeed a worrying trend.
Going by the NADA figures, the recent list released on 08.11.2024, six players were added to the 16 who had agreed to take “case resolution agreement” through which athletes have been given a reduced sanction, for example three years instead of four for a steroid offence. Out of a total of 182 on the list, 22 are minors, which is about 12 per cent. Out of the 22, 15 were penalized in 2023 and seven in 2024 (the year is yet to get over).
The provisionally suspended athletes’ list has six minors, but compared to the September list, five new minors have been added in the new list. One minor had figured in September as well (six out of total 117; about 5.1 per cent). That means 11 new minors figure on the list. If we include the two that appear under the “List of sanctioned Athletes by ADDP/ADAP/CAS”, then the list of minors testing positive would expand to 13. There are a total of about 35 minors in all three lists.
Of the sports, weightlifting once again tops the chart with 12 minors on the cumulative list, closely followed by athletics with 11. Judokas (3), boxers (3), swimmers (3), wrestler (1), kabaddi (1), canoe (1) and volleyball (1) are part of the infamous list.
If this is not alarming enough the choice of banned substance definitely would be. Most of the athletes have been banned or provisionally suspended for using steroids including SARMS LGD 4033 (which is yet to get approval for human use). If steroid usage is bad for seniors, for minors it is detrimental to their growth both physically and mentally.
“Doping at grassroot level is very serious from a medical point of view,” said Ashok Ahuja, former head of department sports science in NIS Patiala, explaining the effect of doping among children. “It is serious because it can affect their cardiac status and lung function that will lead to stunted growth. In case there is a long term usage by them then there can be serious implications like growth of tumours in the later stage of life. It is a concern for all including parents and coaches.”
The doctor felt that this is happening because there is money in every stage of sports nowadays. There are age group events that award athletes with cash and also jobs, this has somehow led to them getting the easy way out. Ahuja also felt that it is good to see NADA testing more junior athletes. “But one has to remember that NADA cannot test all athletes so the number of athletes consuming banned substances is very high.”
Ahuja, like many experts, felt that blame should go to coaches and parents. Mostly the coaches because a 14 or 15-year-old would not know what a banned substance would be. Interestingly, though NADA too has a provision to ban athletes, there are only one or two coaches who have been penalised so far. “Easy availability of steroids and growth hormones is another reason for such abuse,” he said.
One 15-year old tested positive for SARMS LGD-4033 (ligandrol), while a 16-year-old tested positive for Metandienone; Trenbolone; Mephentermine. “It has been confirmed that steroids have serious side effects but for a youngster, it is more detrimental,” said Ahuja. “Apart from the medical reasons spelled out earlier, psychologically too it will affect the minor athletes. They will be full of anger and frustration.
There will be psychological transformation at a very young age. Not just that even physiological changes will be marked, especially in the development of other organs including sex. For girls, it will be worse as it can affect the menstrual cycle.” Perhaps it’s time for authorities to put in place stringent measures to decrease doping among minors.