Athletes pull fast one on dope-testing team

Four frustrated officials of the World Anti-Doping Agency WADA left the NIS here this afternoon after failing to trace 12 athletes they wa...

Four frustrated officials of the World Anti-Doping Agency WADA left the NIS here this afternoon after failing to trace 12 athletes they wanted to test. Instead, they had to be content taking samples from some weightlifters and boxers practising for the Melbourne Commonwealth Games here.

It was strongly reminiscent of a recent incident at a Bangalore camp when lifters had eluded WADA officials. The IAAF had then slapped a fine of 5,000 on the absconding lifters; it is not yet clear what fine will be levied on the athletes.

The WADA team landed at the NIS campus here at 4pm yesterday for out-of-competition dope tests. Most of the 12 on the WADA officials8217; list had been to Doha and then Potchefstroom in South Africa on an 8216;8216;exposure trip8217;8217; in which they neither experienced any foreign coaching nor took part in any meet.

The Athletics Federation of India AFI had cut short the trip eight days ahead of schedule, citing a domestic meet on February 15, and recalled all athletes. That may not be the full truth, because it now appears that they were tracked to South Africa by the WADA team, who then pursued them here.

It is mandatory for the national federation to keep the International Associations of Athletics Federation IAAF posted on the whereabouts of top stars of the country, and The Sunday Express has confirmed that the IAAF was told that the athletes would be here Friday.

But the athletes remained untraceable.

On their arrival here, the WADA officials had immediately gone to the practice venue. Then the fun started. Athletics officials present told the WADA officials that the athletes had finished their day8217;s training and gone to their respective hostels.

A frantic search was launched till late last night and also this morning. Not one of the athletes on the list including the only woman on the list, discus thrower Harwant Kaur could be traced.

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The WADA officials were quite perturbed at the lack of cooperation from both, chief national athletics coach Bahadur Singh, and national camp coordinator Sanjay Garnaik. 8220;We didn8217;t get any cooperation from athletics officials,8221; said Sajid Hashmat, one WADA official. 8216;8216;The AFI always provides misleading information to IAAF.8217;8217;

AFI secretary Lalit Bhanot, though, denied that: 8220;We have been regularly furnishing details to the IAAF.8221;

The disappearing dozen

Naunidh Singh 110mh, Gurpreet Singh 100mh, P.S. Sreejith 400m, Bhupinder Singh 400m, Maha Singh long jump, Amritpal Singh long jump, Navpreet Singh shot put, Ranvijay Singh shot put, Anil Kumar 100m, Malkiat Singh shot put, Kulwinder Singh shot put, Harwinder Kaur women8217;s discus

What the officials say

8226; I have instructed regional director to coordinate with WADA officials. The regional director will have details on those missing.

8212; MP Ganesh Executive director team wings SAI

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8226; I don8217;t have the list of athletes WADA was looking for but those who reported for the camp are on the campus.

8212; LS Ranawat Regional director SAI

8226; Ranawat was verbally informed of the names of all required athletes

8212; Sajid Hashmat WADA official