Sep 27 2010
Start of Commonwealth Games Marred by Suspension of Athletes Due to Anabolic Steroids
The Commonwealth Games in India on October is marred by so many controversies. Some critics say that the country is not yet ready to hold the event because of security issues. There are also some facilities and venues which are still under renovation, repair or construction. This is a great challenge to the host country but sports authorities are optimistic that these will be solved before the start of the games first week of October. “I am as confident and as cool as ever about our organizing. These are all minor hiccups,” Urban Development Minister S. Jaipal Reddy told the media.
Some of the participating countries in the Commonwealth Games are Australia, New Zealand, England, Canada, Scotland, Wales, Pakistan, Jamaica and India. It is also reported that many professional athletes declined to participate in some events because of the reasons mentioned above. World discuss champion Dani Samuels of Australia, world triple jump champion Phillips Idowu of England, and triple Olympic sprint champion Usain Bolt of Jamaica have all withdrawn from the event. Although there are problems in the upcoming Commonwealth Games, participating countries promised that they will be sending contingents to the games.
Another highlight in the games is the involvement of other athletes in controversies such as the use of steroids. In Pakistan, a participant in the Commonwealth Games was suspended because of steroids. Former Olympic runner Sumaira Zahoor, who competed in the 2004 Athens Olympics in 1500 meters category, was suspended for two years. Pakistan will not be able to field in any participant in the track and field event.
Pakistan’s cricket players Shahid Afridi, Muhammad Yousuf, Shoaib Akhtar and Umar Akmal were also subjected to steroid tests last week. 10 athletes who participated in the National Championship and during a camp for the Commonwealth Games in Delhi were slapped with 2 year bans for positive steroid tests. Khalid Mehmood, the secretary of Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) told the media that the incident is embarrassing for the country.
The athletes who represented Pakistan in different international events took the risk of taking steroids to cope up in the competition. Mehmood said that some of these athletes were already on their 30’s so some of these athletes were hoping that steroid will help them regain their strength and speed. “It hasn’t harmed the federation since these athletes were never capable of winning a gold, silver or bronze in the 2010 Commonwealth Games or Asian Games for that matter. The athletes took these substances because they knew they were getting old,” Mehmood told The Express Tribune. The age factor is the main reason why these athletes take steroids and other performance enhancing drugs.
In New Delhi, netball player Megha Chaudhary was also appealing her doping case before the NADA disciplinary panel. Chaudhary’s B sample also tested for a banned steroid so she might also be given suspension by the NADA. The anti-doping agency will also hear the cases of 11 athletes who failed steroid tests.
[...] the Commonwealth Games recently held in New Delhi, India, anti-doping authorities announced that there were several [...]
[...] The Weightlifting Federation of India, through its secretary general Sahdev Yadav, told the media that they were also saddened by the number of weightlifters caught using banned substances. “We will take strict action against the offenders. We will ban the weightlifter, coach and the state that he comes from, if found guilty,” he said. The federation is already taking the burden because of the violations committed by its athletes. The WFI have to pay the International Weightlifting Federation huge fine to allow their athletes play in the Commonwealth Games. [...]
[...] also tested for methylhexaneamine. In India, at least 12 athletes were caught before the start of Commonwealth Games last [...]