Doping scandal: can’t blame coaches, says former athlete shiny wilson

Isn’t it a shame that after a very successful 2010, Indian athletics is going through such a dark phase? Isn’t it a shame that after a very successful 2010, Indian athletics is going through

such a dark phase? Six months ago, we were all in awe of the girls (India’s 4x400m relay team of Ashwini Akkunji, Mandeep Kaur, Manjeet Kaur and Sini Jose). Now, with each passing day,

their credentials are doubted. But it’s strange, the way things have unfolded over the last one week. Though doping is not new to Indian sports, I feel there is something missing in all

this. I know these girls for a long time and so I am shocked to know that they have been involved in such things. I haven’t seen them compete nor have I been to any of the national camps to

see how they train. The question that baffles me is why would they take banned substances when they very well know what the outcome would be? Even during my time, the anti-doping officials

conducted two or three tests at each event. And trust me, they are very strict about this. You cannot escape, and those who have tried have suffered as well. So, there are two obvious

reasons for these girls to have doped: either for fame or the fact that the pressure is so much on them that they were enticed to take the wrong way. Post Asian Games last year, expectations

from them have reached a new high and to an extent that many expect them to do well at next year’s Olympics. And as an athlete, it is very easy to be lured to short cuts. But as I said, I

know them too well to believe that these can be the reasons for them to take banned substances. The theory that has been doing rounds is that the coach must have asked them to take these

substances. I am not ready to buy that theory. A coach’s role is to guide and train. Not tell the athletes to take short cuts to success. I haven’t worked under foreign coaches, so I don’t

know how they operate. They would surely have their own ways of training the athletes. And the fact that they are from the Eastern European block doesn’t benefit them. So questions are bound

to be raised. And the defence put up by the athletes and the coach looks weak. But we need to be careful before blaming anyone. And we have been quite reckless so far — even the sports

ministry. I feel the entire issue has been handled very poorly. Though their samples have tested positive, they are not yet convicted of committing the crime. There can be a possibility that

their food supplements were contaminated. There is a commission hearing on July 15, let’s see what comes out of it. And if these athletes are found guilty, a life ban should be imposed on

them. There is no place for cheats in sports. _—Shiny Wilson is a former national 800m national champion and has represented India in four Olympic Games between 1984 and 1996. She spoke to

Mihir Vasavda _