On request from the national body (AFI), the National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) team arrived on Saturday afternoon to screen the athletes in the ongoing National junior athletics championship at the Nehru Stadium here.
NADA’s eye has been on the seniors and the juniors, of late, have been allowed to go scot free. But the AFI secretary C.K. Valson says that AFI has clearly told NADA that the junior meet is the most important.
“NADA used to screen the juniors but not any more. They say they are now trying to teach the young athletes on the evils of taking these drugs. That is what they want to promote and not screening,” says Valson.
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The AFI Secretary pointed out that a junior athlete (Tejaswin) from Delhi had shattered the senior National record in high jump, NADA thought otherwise and reached Coimbatore for some screening the last two days. The sample of Tejaswin was collected on Saturday by NADA.
Messages and lectures are not enough, it’s good to nip it in the bud one feels.