National Anti-Doping Agency chief bats for ‘no needle policy’

World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) does not have a no-needle policy but India’s National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) chief Navin Agarwal things it should be used in domestic events.

‘No-needle policy’ is not a requirement of World Anti-Doping Agency but its Indian affiliate National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) would want it to be used in domestic events, said chief Navin Agarwal.

Representative image -- Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Narinder Batra had also batted for ‘’no-needle policy’ to be implemented in national camps. (Getty Images)

“Though it is not a WADA requirement, we support the no-needle policy. We have zero tolerance on doping and implementing ‘no-needle policy’ would be another step towards preventing doping,” Agarwal said.

“Having said that, I am not too sure on how it could be implemented in domestic events in India. Although we would encourage the national sports federations to do so,” he added.

While India did well at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, two of its athletes, race walker K T Irfan and triple jumper V Rakesh Babu, were ordered to return home for breaching the event’s strict no needle policy.

The embarrassment came after the Indian contingent escaped unscathed when a needle was found outside a boxer’s room.

At that time the CGF had merely issued a reprimand to India for not disposing the syringe as prescribed, clearing the country of any declaration norm violations.

Even Indian Olympic Association President Narinder Batra had batted for ‘’no-needle policy’ to be implemented in national camps also.