NRAP considering doping tests for top shooters

KARACHI: After the doping case of Shehzad Akhtar, National Rifle Association of Pakistan (NRAP) is thinking of introducing doping tests for winners of national events.

“This is just an idea. We will first check its feasibility,” said NRAP secretary Javed Lodhi while talking to ‘The News’. “I will check with Shaukat Khanum hospital and Agha Khan Hospital the procedures,” he added.

He added that this initiative of taking doping tests of top three winners of each category in national events would help curb this practice.

Shehzad was banned for four years by the national anti-doping disciplinary panel after the shooter failed a dope test.He was also stripped of his bronze medal which he had won in the Islamic Solidarity Games held in Baku, Azerbaijan, in May.

Since the result came after the closing of the Games, Islamic Solidarity Sports Federation (ISSF) delegated the powers of result management to Anti-Doping Organization of Pakistan (ADOP).

A disciplinary panel was constituted by ADOP. The NRAP secretary further said that one positive case of doping in national shooting happened some 20 years ago. “This is the second time. But we are cautious and don’t want to let it happen again,” said Javed.

The country’s promising shotgun shooter Usman Chand has supported this idea. “This would be a very good initiative. It would clean the national circuit. Athletes would avoid doing such things,” said Usman.

He added that the case had demeaned the whole national shooting community. “He was an experienced international shooter so it’s quite strange why he committed such a crime despite having enough know how in this regard,” said Usman.