Lok Sabha Question No. 1557 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-05-03
Subject: Performance Enhancing Drugs
Ministry: YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS
Asked by: BALASUBRAMANIAM SENGUTTUVAN

## MINISTRY OF YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA (DEPARTMENT OF SPORTS)

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1557

TO BE ANSWERED ON 03.05.2016

## Performance Enhancing Drugs

## 1557. SHRI B. SENGUTTUVAN:

Will  the  Minister  of  YOUTH  AFFAIRS AND SPORTS  be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  incidence  of  doping  or  taking  performance-enhancing drugs has risen of late amongst Indian athletes and sports persons;
- (b) whether Indian athletes participating in any sports or athletic events at international levels were disqualified for testing positive for steroid use, if so, the details thereof;
- (c)   whether the Indian Weight-Lifting Association and such other bodies have recently suspended weight lifters and other sportspersons for testing positive for banned performance-enhancing substances;
- (d) whether the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has released the list of  athletes  and  sportspersons tested positive for performance enhancing substances for 2013 in which India ranks third with 91 defaulters;
- (e) whether  the  National  Anti-Doping  Agency,  formed  to  help  out-ofcompetition athletes and sports competitors has hardly been approached by them; and
- (f) the  proactive  steps  being  taken  by  the  Government  to  ensure  that the Indian athletics and sports are dope free?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS (SHRI SARBANANDA SONOWAL)

- (a) Dope positive / Anti-Doping Rule violation cases as a percentage of samples collected have largely remained unchanged in recent years.  The percentage was 2.17 in 2013, 2.32 in 2014 and 2.27 in 2015.
- (b) In  the  discipline  of  Weightlifting,  the  samples  collected  during  the Commonwealth Senior,  Junior and Youth Championship held from 11-15 October  2015  at  Pune,  two  (2)  Indian  weightlifters  were  found  positive during the dope test conducted by the International Weightlifting Federation at the event.
- (c) During  the  calendar  year  2015,  a  total  number  of  58  weightlifters have been found guilty of Anti-Doping Rule violation and the Disciplinary Proceedings have been initiated against them.
- (d) Yes, Madam.
- (e) & (f): National  Anti-Doping  Agency  (NADA)  was  established  in  2009 with  an  aim  to  promote  dope  free-sports  in  the  country.  NADA  regularly conducts  dope  testing in-competition and out-of-competition for the participating sportspersons. NADA  has implemented the Registered Testing  Pool  for  Elite  Level  Athletes  to  conduct  dope  test  anytime  and anywhere.

NADA    also  creates  awareness  about    doping  in  sports    through dissemination of information and educating  sportspersons, coaches and support  personnel  through  teaching  sessions/seminars/workshops.  NADA launched  the  'Program  for  Education  and  Awareness  on  Anti-Doping  in Sports' (PEADS)  in October 2014 with an objective to deal with the fight against doping across the country. The programme has been conducted at various places across the country during sports events / training sessions organized by NSFs, Association of all Intra Universities, SAI centres, SAI training  centres,  School  Games  Federation  and  Services  Sports  Control Boards.  Further,  to  broaden  the  outreach  program,  Government  of  India has decided to establish five (5) regional outreach centres to increase the anti-doping education and awareness at all levels of sports in the country.

*****