BCCI Ka WADA - II

The story so far...

All ICC member countries had to submit to WADA compliant code by July 31 this year. The deadline came and went but BCCI did not do much about the code. The Indian players had concerns about the privacy and procedure involved for drug testing. The players presented their case to BCCI and BCCI acceded to their request.

The players are wary about the whereabouts clause of the WADA code under which they had to mandatorily disclose their location 90 days in advance. As per the clause they had to provide an one hour window each day when WADA representatives could visit them and perform a random drug test. If a player was found to be missing at the specified location and time by WADA representatives, a strike would be recorded against him. 3 such strikes would invite a 2 year ban on the player.

This clause was clearly unacceptable to Indian players. Other cricket players too have voiced their concerns in past but their boards have not done anything about it; all other boards have silently accepted the code. Many other leading sport persons includeing Tennis ace Roger Fedrer and Golf's numero uno Tiger Woods too have unhappily accepted this code.

Many sporting bodies and leading sport persons, on the other hand, were shocked when BCCI refused to sign on the WADA code. Sports minister MS Gill, ace shooter & Olympic gold medal winner Abhinav Bindra and Secretary General of Asian Olympic Council Ranbir Singh were among the many notable figures who spoke against the BCCI. They said when all other leading player form cricket and other sports can accept the clause why can't Indian cricketers.

WADA has put in such a clause for a reason. WADA wants to do a random surprise test so as to catch the culprits. With advanced technology, it is possible for a capacity enhancement drug user to wear off the effects of drug in 24 hours and escape testing. WADA is aware of such technology and hence it has put in daily whereabouts clause.

Even though some other sport personalities have tacitly supported BCCI but general opinion is against the BCCI and Indian cricketers. On the face of it it looks as if BCCI is flexing its muscles again and this time it has take IOC and WADA as an adversary. but i think BCCI refusal has more positives than negatives. In next few posts I will explain why.