AFI's draft 'No Needle Policy' proposes 2-year ban for violating athletes

The Athletics Federation of India's draft 'No Needle Policy' has proposed a maximum ban of two years on athletes caught using or possessing needles and injection vials, a top official told PTI on Thursday.

If implemented, this will be first instance of a national federation handing such a sanction.

Athletics has been hit hard by a recent spurt in doping cases. India had to face the ignominy of a race walker and a triple jumper being sent home from the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games for possessing undeclared needles.

"We have drawn up a detailed 'No Needle Policy' which has been circulated to the athletes, coaches, other support staff and even to the public for comments and feedbacks. We will study all these comments/feedbacks and will draw up a final 'No Needle Policy'," AFI President Adille Sumariwalla told PTI.

"The final 'No Needle Policy' (expected in the next couple of months) when drawn up will be signed by all the athletes, coaches, support staff in the national camps and outside the camps also," he added.

Under the proposals, an athlete in the national camp/in-competition or at other non-competition venues violating the policy will be suspended from domestic and international competitions for a period of three months.

For a second violation, the suspension will be of one year while a subsequent breach will attract a two-year ban.

Sumariwalla said the implementation of the policy and the handing of the punishments will have no connection with any government agencies and the AFI has the authority to do so.

"The AFI has the power and authority under its constitution to implement the 'No Needle Policy' and award punishments. It is outside what government agencies (read NADA) may do. An aggrieved athlete may go to the Court of Arbitration for Sports or to a court of law," the AFI president said.

Not only the athletes, the Draft Policy has also proposed punishments for the support staff.

In case of any used/unused syringe/needle/injection vial is found in the room or baggage of the support staff (except medically qualified practitioners), the first violation will attract removal from the camp for one year.

In case of second or subsequent violation, he or she will be removed from the national camp for life.

A three-member committee to be headed by chief coaches Bahadur Singh will be empowered to search the rooms of the athletes and support staff.

The other two members of the committee will be deputy chief coach P Radhakrishnan Nair and chief coach (juniors) Sanjay Garnaik.

Under the Draft Policy, injections will only be permitted when there is a clinically justified reason as determined by the AFI Medical Commission.

"There is no justification for any athlete (except those with an established clinical condition requiring auto-injection and a valid Therapeutic Use Exemptions), a coach or any other non-medically qualified person to administer an injection," one of the provisions of the Draft Policy state.