Delhi declares war against doping; to set record for testing

In its bid to keep the 2010 Commonwealth Games drug-free, Delhi is putting together a comprehensive plan to tackle the menace of doping.

In its bid to keep the 2010 Commonwealth Games drug-free, Delhi is putting together a comprehensive plan to tackle the menace of doping.

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Besides 1,500 urine samples, 150 blood samples will also be collected during the Games.

This will be the highest number of samples ever collected during the Games.

“The World Anti Doping Agency’s newly-accredited National Dope Testing Laboratory is ready for the test,” said Organising Committee Medical and Anti-doping Commission chief Manmohan Singh, on Friday.

Even Commonwealth Games Federation Medical and Doping Commission chairman M Jegathesan was quite convinced that Delhi would pull it off.

“Even if this is the highest number of samples that have ever been attempted by an organising committee, I think it will be done without a glitch,” said Jegathesan.

“We visited the accredited National Dope Testing Laboratory and came away very satisfied that it can handle the demands,” said Jegathesan, who is also Commonwealth Games Federation medical advisor.

The anti-doping commission has lined up a comprehensive training programme as well and will start from next month.

The organising committee will enrol 550 dope control officials, including chaperons, for the Games. The training will be in four phases: induction, role-specific training, venue-specific training and refresher courses just before the mega event.

“Though most of the dope control officials will be from India, we might hire a few from other CGF nations,” said Chander.