Twenty dope tests conducted during National Games

ISLAMABAD: As many as twenty dope tests including eight on the athletics team members (men and women) were conducted during the just concluded 34th National Games in Quetta.A special Anti-doping Organization of Pakistan (ADOP)/Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) team was sent to Quetta to conduct the tests that were of utmost importance to give proper backing to all the medals won and all the national record set during the Games.

“We have conducted 20 tests in all during the 34th National Games including eight conducted on men and women of the athletics teams. We definitely faced some problems when it came to conducting tests on members of the athletics teams. Three women athletes also underwent the testing procedures. In the end, all went well and we accomplished our task of dope tests,” a team member, when contacted, said.

According to the details available with ‘The News’, among the twenty tests conducted in all, eight were conducted on the athletics team, three dope tests were taken of wrestlers, two each on weightlifting, taekwondo, wushu, and karate while one test was performed on a rower. All were random tests.

“In all 14 men and six women athletes were tested for doping and performance-enhancing drugs. Such tests are of utmost importance to give legal cover to all the medals and national records set during the National Games to send a message abroad that the mega event has a legal cover,” the official said.

Since the ADOP is in the formation process, all the tests are being finalised for the laboratories. Two tests conducted on the weightlifters have yet to reach Islamabad. These will be here any time now,” the official added. It will take another five to six days for the authorities in Islamabad to complete the procedure before dispatching all the 20 tests through courier to a WADA-approved Laboratory in Qatar. “Waiting for the last two dope tests of weightlifting, as our DCO is on the way to Islamabad. It will take five to six working days to complete the procedure and all tests will be dispatched to Qatar at the earliest,” the official, said.

The authorities will require around Rs1.5 million to pay for the testing fee in Qatar and for courier service. “Testing is a lengthy process as we don’t expect any results before August. Usually, it takes around 60 to 70 days for results to come out. Hopefully, by the start of August we will be in a position to know the results,” the official said.

“The Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) has provided 20 kits for the random tests. The tests were all the more important. That was the reason the POA managed making sure that a mega event like National Games should not go tests free,” a member of the ADOP said.