The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) wants to have clean athletes for its Asian Games and it is willing to go to any extent in its battle against doping in sport.
Shaikh Ahmad al-Fahad al-Sabah, the OCA President, said the Council is looking at data from the last 12 years to pick out three sports where doping in rampant in Asia and put them under pressure.
“We want to see which three games have the highest number. When we know that, we will put them under pressure,” said Shaikh Ahmed, in reply to a question from Sportstar on how the OCA plans to tackle doping at the Asian Games, here on Monday.
“They will be not in our sports programme, or there will be fewer medals for them. We want to make sure that all federations work in the direction of clean athletes.”
Ten athletes failed dope tests at the Asian Indoor Games held in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan’s capital earlier this year, it was revealed on Monday and the Chinese weightlifting team, which was handed a year’s suspension by the International Weightlifting Federation late last year, was not allowed to take part in Jakarta Asiad.
GREECE OF ASIA
Shaikh Ahmed also said that India will get to host a third Asian Games if it shows interest.
“India did not bid for the Games for a long time. The last time they bid, they lost to Incheon (the 2014 Asiad host). If they request, there is a normal procedure. We know the capability of India, it has hosted two Games for us and whenever they are ready, we will be ready,” he said.
India hosted the Asian Games in 1951 and also in 1982 and the OCA chief said India was the Greece of Asia.
Comments
SHARE