Cricketers To Undergo Dope Test. "BCCI Is No Different," Says Government

Indian cricketers will now be tested by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) after the Sports Ministry told the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCC) that "you have no option" other than to abide by the code. The Indian cricket board thereafter agreed to come under the ambit of NADA, ending years of defiance. Historically, the BCCI has vehemently opposed coming under NADA and always maintained that anti-doping agency had no jurisdiction to conduct dopes tests on Indian cricketers.

Earlier, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) had clearly told cricket's world governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC), that BCCI has to come under NADA's ambit so that the ICC remains compliant and the matter was intimated to BCCI during the board meeting in Dubai.

Sports Secretary Radheshyam Jhulaniya, who met BCCI CEO Rahul Johri in New Delhi on Friday, said the board has given in writing that it would adhere to the anti-doping policy of NADA.

"All cricketers will now be tested by NADA," Jhulaniya told PTI.

"The BCCI raised three issues before us about the quality of the dope testing kits, competence of pathologists and sample collection.

"We assured them that whatever facilities they want, we will provide but there will be some charge for it. BCCI is no different from others," he added.

The BCCI had been vehemently opposed to signing up with NADA, claiming that it is an autonomous body, not a National Sports Federation and does not rely on government funding.

However, the sports ministry has also been steadfast in maintaining that it had to come under the NADA ambit.

It recently held back clearances for the tours by South Africa A and women's teams and it was speculated that this was done to pressurise BCCI into accepting anti-doping norms.

(With inputs from Rica Roy and PTI)

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