Kamal Ghorui
BENGALURU: Despite continued efforts by the Athletics Federation of India and the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA), the use of banned performance-enhancing drugs persists among some of the country’s top athletes and promising youngsters. The latest evidence emerged at the 5th National Open Jumps competition, which concluded here on Sunday.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!According to sources, several syringes and vials allegedly used for doping were found in the restrooms used by athletes at the venue, located on the outskirts of the city.“NADA officials were present during the meet and were conducting routine checks, but they went on high alert after syringes were found in the toilets,” a source told TOI. “Many of the bottles had labels in Russian language, pointing to the use of banned substances. One label in English was almost entirely peeled off, but it was still possible to make out that it was a mephentermine injection — a prohibited stimulant under WADA rules,” the source added.NADA officials were alerted about the findings on the first day of the competition. Organisers subsequently put up posters outside the restrooms warning athletes: “Do not take any syringes inside the toilet. Our volunteers are watching you,” a poster, which also had the same message in Hindi, read.A coach said the warning had an immediate impact, with the number of syringes recovered falling sharply on the second day. Another senior coach present at the venue struck a cautionary note and said, “Some senior athletes are encouraging juniors to use banned substances. We need to create greater awareness among young athletes, so they do not look for short-cuts to success.” India topped the 2024 WADA Testing Figures report with 260 adverse analytical findings from 7,113 samples tested — a positivity rate of 3.6 per cent, the highest among all major nations. France ranked second in absolute numbers.
