Alarmed at the increase in use of banned drugs by sportspersons, the national sports federations and State Olympic and sports associations have initiated action to check the win-at-any-cost mindset prevailing among the athletes.Towards that effort, the Punjab Olympic Association today constituted a five-member panel. To be headed by Dr Manmohan Singh, chairman of the Indian Olympic Association medical commission, the panel will prepare a paper and suggest ways and means to curb this menace. The other members of the panel are Dr Ashok Ahuja, Olympian shooter Gurbir Singh Sandhu and Punjab Basketball Association secretary-general Teja Singh Dhaliwal.‘‘We cannot undo what has been done. The harm has already been done. But suitable steps can be initiated to prevent the recurrance of such episodes in the future,’’ said POA secretary-general, Raja K S Sidhu. ‘‘It is shocking and shameful. But I am not aware of the Punjab weightlifers testing positive at the Hyderabad National Games,’’ said S K Sinha, president of the Punjab Weightlifting Association. Sinha, who is also the Principal Secretary to the Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, directed his secretary general Tara Singh to submit a report to him in this connection.Tara Singh said, ‘‘We have been educating the weightlifters to abstain themselves from taking banned drugs. These are very harmful but unfortunately the trend continues.’’‘‘It is the lure of money and fame that is forcing players to use these banned substances,’’ said Raja Sidhu.Punjab Amateur Athletic Association secretary Isher Singh Deol said, ‘‘We have not received any communication from the Amateur Athletic Federation of India or the Indian Olympic Association. I am not sure if any Punjab athlete has tested positive.’’Meanwhile, the Chandigarh Rowing Association and Chandigarh Olympic Association have announced separate inquiries into the circumstances which led Lakshman Singh to take the banned drug. Chandigarh Amateur Athletic Association secretary Ravinder Chaudhary said: ‘‘We have not received any communication from AAFI. Moreover, before our athletes take part in any national events, we ask the athletes to give an undertaking that they would not use any banned substance.’’But despite the initiatives and measures from time to time, drug abuse in sports has continued unabated. The solution is not in launching a probe nor is it going to help by blaming the athletes. There is a lesson for everyone, including the authorities, in the recent episodes. The quicker they learn it the better it will be for country’s sports.
