NAGPUR: Rising instances of doping by basketball
players have put the spotlight on the menace. But are all stakeholders adequately aware of the enormity and all-encompassing nature of its implications?
Indian Federation of Sports Medicine president Dr PS Mohana Chandran believes that "almost 99%" of the substances banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency
) are prevalent in the medicines prescribed by doctors. "First these doctors need to be educated about the banned substances," says Chandran, who is a member of the Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel (ADDP) constituted by the National Anti-Doping Agency
Chandran was speaking at the online conclave organized by the Integrated Basketball Players Association (IBPA) to educate the young hoopsters of the country about doping's ill-effects.
Former international players invited four experienced practitioners as panelists for the two-hour discussion in the conclave, that was held to commemorate former Services and Indian coach Colonel M Rajan. Apart from Chandran, the panel included sports physician Dr Kannan Pugazhendi, Reeth Abraham
- an Arjuna awardee who is actively involved with Clean Sports India - and ADDP vice-chairperson Charu Pragya.
Asian and world masters medalist Reeth Abraham wanted the national federation to be held accountable if a player was found guilty. Sharing her personal experience from 38 years ago, Abraham said, "I had never taken any drug, be it to enhance my performance or for recovery from injury. During the 1982 Asian Games, when I first participated in an international event, I was approached by coaches asking me to take some multivitamin tablets. I refused to take them. I always believed in training and never achieved anything with drugs."
The panel discussion began with opening remarks from Michael Vassell, an athletics coach from Kingston, Jamaica. Vassell pointed out how the sporting fraternity was under stress due to the doping menace.
After moderator Jayasankar Menon introduced all the panelists, his colleague J Balakrishnan started the discussion by comparing performances of international athletes. He was of the view that performance could be enhanced without using drugs.
After explaining what doping actually is and why sportspersons are seeking this shortcut, Chandran wanted an aggressive approach in the Anti-Doping Education Program. He demanded wider publicity on social and mass media through sports ambassadors, so that the young athletes are educated and doping cases come down. "More than the performance enhancement part, we need to educate the athletes about the pernicious effects of doping," Chandran said.
Kannan quipped that "winning in life is more important than winning a medal or competition."
Former International pistol shooter and practising lawyer Charu Pragya added that the athletes could inform NADA through an e-mail, letter or message about the medicines being prescribed by their doctors periodically. "This may equip NADA to help the athletes when there is an issue while testing," Charu said, adding, "The list of banned substances released by WADA is expanding every year. Athletes can show their clear intention when they inform NADA about the medicines they're taking for treatment."
When Dr Kannan, the founder and director of Indian Institute of Sports Medicine was asked to explain 'organic doping' - the natural way of enhancing performance - the physician explained that the normal growth hormone secretion should be allowed by sleeping between 10pm and 3 am. The growth hormones start secreting only after two hours of deep sleep, and this itself is sufficient to do all the activities and one need not take any steroids, Kannan said. "If someone takes these drugs it only stops the normal secretion of these hormones," he signed off.