Report on Doping evil in Indian sports

Reports for college magazine and television on Doping evil in Indian sports

Report on Doping evil in Indian sports

Vijeta Singhania
S.D. Girls School
In the wake of National Games, disturbing news is published and telecast on the media that weightlifter, Charu, who won three gold medals at last Commonwealth Games has tested positive for the second time in her career and is likely to face a life ban. The test was conducted at last month's National Weightlifting Championship in Lucknow. Ironically, Sports Minister, Vikram Verma had denied only last week that no top athlete had been caught. Charu was last caught in 1995. Now she has again tested positive for doping and it is a life-ban offence under international rules.
For the past couple of years, weightlifting in India has seen the most cases of doping. The Indian Weightlifting Federation has been run by an ad hoc committee. The committee is charged with laxity in enforcing punishment. Last year, Sunita Rani was charged with violation of a steroids related offence. Faced with the biggest ever drugs controversy in the past month, the news has come that 45 athletes tested positive in two separate cases.

When contacted, the Sports Minister dismissed the dope scam saying that the sports persons had performed well. He appeared to be unconcerned and overlooked the fact conveniently that the large list of Indians caught at top international events dates back to 1986. Sadly enough, more than a year later, it still has not announced the names of 19 athletes who had tested positive at the National Games held in Punjab. He, however, stated that India would soon sign World Anti-Doping Code that has already been signed by 80 countries in Copenhagen. Will it solve doping evil at national level?