“Cricketers test positive.” The ‘breaking news’ story suggests that there could be a dope ‘positive’ case for the first time in Indian cricket.
But there is none. Indian player Rahul Sharma and South African Wayne Parnell had tested positive for recreational drugs among a total of 90 at a ‘rave party’ in Mumbai, the police said on Friday.
They were charged under the relevant Act and the law would take its course. But this is not a case of doping as we understand in sports. This is a social issue and matter for the police to proceed against as per the laws of the land, not the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Code.
“I don’t know why everyone is in a mood to execute Rahul Sharma without even going into the details,” BCCI president N. Srinivasan was quoted as saying on Friday.
The Board is unlikely to recall the Punjab player, now in Sri Lanka as part of the Indian squad, according to BCCI sources.
Purely from a cricketing anti-doping angle, Sharma has not committed an offence, nor will the Board come into the picture to act on a ‘positive’ report. It would be up to the Board to treat this as a general disciplinary issue.
Raging debate
Recreational drugs are banned in sports also. There continues a raging debate in international sports on whether substances like cannabis should be banned at all or such cases dealt with by just admonitions or rehabilitation opportunities, instead of suspensions. There is no evidence of these drugs enhancing performance.
Narcotics (e.g. morphine, hydromorphone, pethidine) and cannabinoids (e.g. cannabis, hashish, marijuana) are in the WADA Prohibited List. They are banned only ‘in competition’, meaning tests for such substances are done only when urine samples are collected during a competition.
Sharma and Parnell were members of the Pune team in the last IPL tournament. From an anti-doping perspective, they had finished their engagements. The ‘in-competition’ rule was not applicable to them.
Only a test conducted by an anti-doping authority can be of relevance. Most importantly, only a test conducted at an accredited laboratory can be the basis for any possible action by the Board or any anti-doping authority.
Keywords: Indian cricket, rave party, anti-doping authority
The glamour around cricket is to blame. If indeed Rahul has taken some non-performance enhancing drugs, then he is not the only young person doing so. It may not a practice that should be encouraged, but to crucify him with so much media glare is also uncalled for. His family will be the key in handling this situation, not BCCI.
I'd like to recall here what some columnist in cricinfo.com wrote
sometime back. "someone in BCCI desperately wants Rahul Sharma to
succeed and hence he is (Rahul) provided with so many offers even after
not living up to the mark time and again. How true is the comment amidst
whatever is happening now. Rahul Sharma simply doesn't deserve to be in
any Indian cricket team at all and there are much better talent
available. But then, one needs a God father to get him a head start and
that's India for you...
The ACB has reprimanded Rickey Ponting for his unruly behaviour in pubs and it is a social responsibility of a club which is the richest inthe world in its genre,to keep their members socially responsible.mr,Srinivaasan may be legally correct,but morally appalling.
A budding cricketer's future shouldnot be affected due to minor drug offence. Though it is wrong and punishable under law there is nothing to do with doping. The World Anti Doping Agency prescribes list of banned substances in diffferent sports and unless the athelete tested in-competion or out-of competion by an authorised doping control authority he cannot banned from participating in sports event.
Rahul Sharma should accept,apologise and learn from his mistake. It is a great opportunity and honour for him to get into Indian cricket team.
V.Sankar
Doping Control Officer
So according to KP Mohan, any sportsperson in India or else can indulge
in Rave parties outside of when they are not in competition. Are you
nuts Mr.Mohan? You give all wrong signals to youngsters say it is ok to
indulge in recreational drugs.
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