BCCI’s anti-doping code is fine: ICC

NEW DELHI: The International Cricket Council says it is happy with the anti-doping measures taken by the Board of Control for Cricket in India. Although the ICC became a signatory of the World Anti Doping Agency in July 2006, BCCI does not follow WADA or its accredited Indian arm, the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA).

The BCCI has engaged a private agency to control doping and although its policies are not clear, the ICC told Hindustan Times that “the BCCI’s anti-doping code is based on the ICC template code.”

Indian cricketers have found the “whereabouts” clause particularly irritating. According to ICC’s anti-doping code, it is necessary to conduct “out-of-competition testing” where the player selected for testing gets no advance notice of the test. And for this to be possible, certain information is required about the whereabouts of the Player when he/she is out-of-competition.

The ICC said it has not received any letter from either WADA or NADA questioning BCCI antidoping policy.

“It is mandatory for the BCCI to adopt the ICC template code for national federations, which itself is based on the ICC’s WADA compliant Code,” said the ICC.

Although the sports ministry is trying enforce WADA/NADA guidelines, the BCCI is in no mood to adopt these. It is perfectly happy with its private anti-doping agency and ICC doesn’t seem to have a problem with its most influential full member.