Kabaddi World Cup doping number reaches 53

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Kabaddi World Cup doping number reaches 53

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The number of doping offenders at the recent Kabaddi World Cup has reached 53.

01 December,2011 05:40 pm

They include those who have either tested positive or refused to give a sample.In response to the high number, Indias National Anti-Doping Agency said Thursday that it will ensure full doping compliance in all sports, including athletics, which saw a number of high-profile doping cases earlier this year.We asked for samples of 220 players during the kabaddi championship, of which 53 either tested positive or declined to give their samples, NADA director-general Rahul Bhatnagar told The Associated Press. We were surprised by the high number of positive cases early on and tested a lot more participants than we had initially planned to.The kabaddi players caught for doping are from several different countries, including Britain, the United States, Italy, Spain, Australia, Norway, Germany, Argentina and India.All of them were barred from further participation in the meet, which was won by India.The lure of big money a purse of $400,000 to the mens champion and $200,000 to the runner-up attracted players from all over the world, mostly expatriates from South Asia, where the game is a traditional sport.Indias womens 4x400-meter relay team, considered one of the countrys best medal candidates at next years London Olympics after winning gold at the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games last year, was hit by a spate of doping cases earlier this year.Three from that quartet Ashwini Akkunji, Mandeep Kaur and Sini Jose tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs. Jauna Murmu, Tiana Mary and Priyanka Panwar also tested positive.Akkunji, Jose and Panwar tested positive for methandienone, while Murmu and Mary tested positive for epimethandiol, and Kaur for stanozolol.The future of the athletes depends on what punishment the doping panel gives. If the panel gives a ban for two years, it stays that way. We dont try to help anybody and are on the prosecutions side, Bhatnagar said. In fact, if we are not happy with the decision, we will appeal against it.A three-member panel headed by former judge Dinesh Dayal is looking into the athletics doping cases.