On anti-doping system in IndiaTill today we don’t have an accredited laboratory in the country even after so many years of promises by the Sports Authority of India and the Ministry of Sports. There is no professionalism in SAI’s dope testing lab — they hardly have any experts in sports medicine. People working there are basically physicians with MBBS degrees and no expertise in sports. All that the doctors do there is to collect samples and carry out tests whereas ideally they should to be researching on sports medicine.The psychologists whom I met at the National Institute of Sports in Patiala complained that their service was hardly being utilised during competitions. One can well imagine how the system functions if no respect is given to professionals and experts.Anti-doping fight targeted only at athletes Our laboratory is not recognised by the international body (IOC), so we are totally dependent on an inefficient system. And an inefficient system will be biased against the athlete — that was my experience during the investigation in the Sunita Rani case. Instead of trying to give the best treatment to our athletes, we are totally embroiled in internal politics and lust for sticking to power.Role of coaches in doping Coaches and doctors spend the maximum time with the athletes and it is not possible that the athlete will take drugs without their knowledge. There is no coordination between the coaches themselves and with the doctors. For instance, I found that the Russian ‘expert’ and the Indian doctor had no idea about what each of them were prescribing to the same athlete. Is doping state-sponsored in India like in former eastern bloc I don’t think it is state-sponsored but definitely the state is playing the role of a silent spectator.
