Lust for win responsible for increase in doping: NADA DG

National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) Director General Navin Agarwal said on Tuesday that the problem of doping is rising because of players' tendency to win by hook or crook.

"The problem of doping is rising because of the tendency of players to win by hook or by crook," Agarwal told ANI in an exclusive conversation.

He further highlighted that the problem of doping starts at school level and is not only prevalent at the Olympic level.

"It is not true that doping tendency is only there in Olympic Games. Many of the players don't even have ambition to go to the Olympics. Some of the players only wish to reach the national levels so that they get a job under sport quota or they get admission in some higher institute. The problem of doping starts at school level," he said.

"The government incentives to players also have fallout. At times coaches give substances to players to enhance performance and get medals. Sometimes, it is seen that coaches themselves give banned substances to players in order to enhance their performance.

The NADA DG also asserted that it is not true that players coming from small towns and villages are not well aware.

"They also know what is right and what is wrong. They know what are the banned substances and what they can eat and what they can't," he asserted.

Meanwhile, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Youth Affairs and Sports Vijay Goel said that the statement made by the NADA DG was made in personal capacity.

"It's an individual statement, don't think any sportsperson does it," said Goel.

These assertions from the NADA DG come in the wake of recent doping incidents reported in the country.

Arjuna Awardee footballer Subrata Paul was first tested positive for a banned substance.

Subrata failed a dope test conducted by the NADA in Mumbai when the Indian men's football team was going to Cambodia for a friendly match in February.

The goalkeeper will now go for the confirmatory 'B' sample test.

One week later, Indian weightlifter Sushila Panwar also failed the dope test.

Panwar's 'A' sample was found positive for a banned substance and now the Indian Weightlifting Federation has suspended her provisionally.

The NADA had conducted her dope test on March 25 in Patiala.