PSB streamlines anti-doping drive

KARACHI: Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) Director General Col (retd) Mohammad Asif Zaman on Saturday said that the Board ensures that all athletes have proper guidance and awareness about doping and its consequences.

"The coaches have been guided properly on this issue. Even National Sports Federations(NSFs) have also been taken on board during the anti-doping programmes and campaigns launched by the PSB for the awareness of sports persons," Asif said in a statement.

“PSB is well aware of its role in saving athletes from the prevailing menace of doping. That is why we continuously arrange awareness programmes on this issue and PSB has conducted a number of seminars and conferences on anti-doping awareness.

He said that recently PSB has organised a one-day seminar on 'Doping and its Physiology', 'Doping and Psychological effects on an athlete', 'WADA and its governance system and samples collecting methods'. "The players, coaches, managers, office bearers of NSFs, medical practitioners, pharmacists and sports academia attended the seminar. Nutrition, drugs and prohibited substances were mainly focused during the proceeding of this full day activity. Moreover, anti-doping awareness has also been made an integral part of all national training camps," said Asif, also a former squash player.

“A day before, on April 8, 2022 PSB came up as a trend setter on social media while observing 'True play day for peace'. Our staff, camp trainers (athletes and coaches) uploaded dozens of video messages on social media, WADA web-address apart from PSB website. The activity reflects our commitment toward WADA anti-doping programmes” the DG said. He added Pakistan has been regularly paying a hefty amount to WADA as an annual contribution as its due share.

Clarifying the issue of NADO and ADOP Asif Zaman said, “We tried to set up a special body (NADO Pakistan) for the implementation of WADA Code in its true spirit across the country”.

Referring to a reportedly positive test case Asif said that the federation and the coach are solely responsible for this unfortunate episode. "We are continuously looking into this matter but surprisingly we have not been informed officially so far by the respective federation, the ADOP and POA," he said. He however said the government has taken up this issue and it will be investigated.

Referring to the government efforts in this regard the DG explained that a proposal to control doping in sports in the country through a legal instrument is under consideration in the PSB, saying the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) will also be taken on board for this consultative process for which they have already sought help and guidance from WADA and its regional officials besides capacity building of their officials in the subject matter.

“Doping is a problem which will require cooperation from athletes, coaches and federations to solve it. It can’t be solved alone by anyone," he said.

Meanwhile the PSB said that under the leadership of Asif Zaman the Board organised an event on awareness regarding doping at Pakistan Sports Board on Anti Doping Day on April 8. The theme of the event was 'Play True Day'.The Board stated that the purpose of the event was to raise awareness among young players on doping rules, to educate about the harms which prohibited substances can have on the body in the long run and to inculcate spirit of fair play and positive competitiveness among athletes. "

There is no shortcut to success. Dedication and hard work have no substitutes and those looking to cut corners need to understand this. We are waging a battle to eliminate the use of prohibited and harmful substances and this event is one such effort," Asif has been quoted as saying.

"We often face problems when an athlete is training individually and he/she doesn't have access to the right information. We are hoping National Federations and POA will get on board with us since athletes have a direct liaison with them," he said

On this occasion national volleyball team Brazilian coach Christiano Rodrigues said:"Fight against doping and say no to doping."