Why Ukraine, Belarus? Govt had asked the IOA

The letter, written by a senior ministry official when preparations for Athens began, was prompted by repeated requests from the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) to the ministry for clearing athletes to visit Kiev.

It posed one vital question: Why only Ukraine (or Belarus, for weightlifters), when top-class athletes come from Europe which has better training and competition facilities? It even cited the case of Anju Bobby George preferring to train in the US and Europe, backed by her results over a period. However, ministry sources say they have not received any reply to that letter. IOA officials, busy in Athens with the games and the doping fallout, could not be contacted.

The spread of doping in Indian sport — a practice that started in 1982, according to PT Usha — has been accompanied by the growing popularity of CIS countries, especially Belarus and Ukraine, as training grounds for Indian athletes.

It’s ironic that, on the one hand, no lifter from Belarus — where Pratima trained — has tested positive and on the other Bahadur Singh, who trained extensively in Ukraine, performed miserably in his shot put event. Apart from sending our athletes there, the AFI has been employing coaches from these countries for several years now and, today, has half a dozen such ‘‘experts’’ attached to the track and field athletes. The CIS states offer more than coaching facilities: stimulants/drugs are cheap and easy to procure. In fact, the bulk of the steroids available in India, usually in medical shops near athletes’ hubs like Nehru Stadium in New Delhi, comes from Russia. But at a very hefty price tag, one that would reduce drastically if purchased in that country.