Dope testing in National inter-district junior athletics meet for the first time

Dope testing will be part of the MILO National Inter-District Junior Athletics Meet (NIDJAM) for the first time in the 17-year history of the championships.

NADA to send a team to collect a number of samples. (Representative Image)

Dope testing will be part of the MILO National Inter-District Junior Athletics Meet (NIDJAM) for the first time in the 17-year history of the championships, with the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) sending a team to collect a number of samples in the three-day event starting here on Saturday, AFI President Adille Sumariwalla said.

He added anti-doping measures this year would be among the major steps taken towards raising the bar and making NIDJAM a most prized event for the young athletes.

“We want to spread the message of clean sport among these youngsters,” he said, welcoming NADA’s decision to send a team to Tirupati.

“At the AFI, we have been actively pursuing a zero-tolerance policy against doping. We were the first National Sports Federation to activate no-needle policy in national camps and competitions. We have had no hesitation in ejecting athletes either from camps or from competitions for infringing the no-needle policy,” he said.

“We believe the presence of Dope Control Officers through the meet can send positive messages in the athletics fraternity and strike fear among those who think taking shortcuts is the best way to achieve goals. We are thankful to NADA for having indicated to us that its team of Dope Control Officers will be in Tirupati to collect samples at NIDJAM,” Sumariwalla said.

MILO NIDJAM 2019 will feature five events each, 100m, 600m, high jump, long jump and shotput for under-14 boys and girls, while u-16 categories will vie for honours in 100m, 200m, 400m, 1000m, 100m hurdles, high jump, long jump, shotput, discus and javelin.