Doping cricketers?

By Rajadhyax

Controversy follows cricket almost like a cat follows the smell of fish. It could be the fall-out of fame and glamour or the cause of it, but its there all the time. Cricketers rise from one tricky situation, only to hobble into another and it’s nowhere as true as it is on the sub-continent.

Betting, match fixing, security concerns, militant attack on the Lankan team in Pakistan….. and now the Indian team (as well as its all-supportive board) in the vortex of the doping-procedure-controversy by their refusal to fall in line with the international doping norms. For the cricketers this is a relentless roller-coaster ride through travel, politics, matches and scandals that accounts for the team’s energy, to say nothing of their stress levels.

The new controversy is actually a little complicated. But to understand it, you need to have a little on its history. Use of Performance Enhancing Drugs (PED) has been on the rise in sports as players fight to succeed in increasing competitive atmosphere and media glare. In 1998 there was a shocking doping scandal in the world of cycling that compromised the credibility of the sport. It was just the tip of the proverbial iceberg and the IOC decided to take things seriously. In 1999 the World Conference on Doping was held at Lausanne. A document was created called the Lausanne Declaration to monitor doping in sports. Under the aegis of IOC and guided by the Declaration, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) was set up in November 1999 “to promote and co-ordinate the fight against doping in sport internationally”. Various sports bodies were encouraged to join the effort and become signatories to WADA regulations. International Cricket Council (ICC) recently joined WADA like most other bodies for global sports.

Now it is the responsibility of ICC to encourage national cricket monitoring associations to declare their alliance with WADA norms. In many countries the players and the associations had no problems signing on the dotted lines but Indian cricketers and the Indian board decided not to be party to it due to some unacceptable aspects in it. The objections raised by the Indian cricketers are mainly pertaining to one clause that requires players to inform WADA of their location and travel arrangements three months in advance for “out-of-competition-random-sampling” for tests. These tests are necessary to see that players are not abusing steroids or other PEDs when they rest away from competitions.

Cricketers are objecting to this particular clause on the following grounds: a) Away from competition cricketers do not have as pre-planned a travel schedule as in other sports like golf or cycling. So sometimes they may not know their arrangements and location accurately three months prior to departure and WADA / ICC may disqualify them for it from competitive cricket. b) Many star cricketers are under serious threats – ‘clear and present danger’ in security jargon – from militant attacks. Their security personnel have instructed them clearly not to make their travel arrangements or locations public even a day prior to departure. So they feel it’s a risk to state those details to WADA / ICC.

It is worth noting that these players are not refusing to be tested and nor are they in total opposition of WADA stance or endeavour. It’s a part of the procedure that does not suit their practical realities. Their claims need to be considered with seriousness. People from other sports need not comment on cricketer’s difficulties since they neither know the problems nor have felt the same. In fact their envy makes them search for newer ways to bash the cricket players and this is one great opportunity for them. So ignoring them is the best way to deal with them. Sports Minister Mr. Gill is under political pressure to fall in line with WADA, so his comments have political and diplomatic colour. Besides, his knowledge of cricket is only a little more than Tiger Woods, so the less said about the man, the better.

In fact everyone least related to cricket is taking all sorts of pot-shots at the players. Indians far too easily forget that it is the cricketers that are presently earning the maximum foreign exchange, famous laurels, attention and admiration for India in the international arena. And this treatment is not exactly how we should treat national heroes. Unlike gymnastics and weight lifting where the ignominies are more than laurels, cricket is bringing home trophies every year. The game needs to be seen with respect and dignity.

Cricket players also need to review their position in the whole affair. Since most international cricketers and other sportsmen have found ways to follow the WADA regulations, the Indians must start thinking of a softer line to present before ICC. A blank refusal to sign may not go well with the mandarins of international cricket and give more fodder for the critics to chew. The ICC, on its part must look into ways to go around this one particular clause that forbids players basic privacy and freedom of movement or at least alter it to suit them. After all, the clause is not the goal of WADA; it’s the fight against doping that is the eventual target. Both sides need to take an understanding tone that conflicts will not resolve the issue and full fledged confrontation will only make it worse. We need a golden mean to reduce the use of banned substances in every sport. Let that be the final destination, folks.