Indian cricketers issued NADA notices for not disclosing whereabouts
Five centrally-contracted Indian cricketers, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ravindra Jadeja, KL Rahul, Smriti Mandhana and Deepti Sharma, have been issued notices by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) for failing to disclose their whereabouts. Reportedly, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) stated the delay was due to a password glitch. The players are part of the National Registered Testing Pool (NRTP). Here is more.
NADA director general Navin Agarwal confirmed the BCCI has sent an official explanation after the players failed to submit the whereabouts. "There are two ways to fill up the whereabouts form in the ADAMS (Anti-Doping Administration & Management Systems) software. Either athlete does it himself or association fills it upon his or her behalf," Agarwal told PTI.
Agarwal reiterated the boards or federations may also feed such information to NADA on the players' behalf, in some cases. "Athletes in some discipline aren't educated enough or do not have access to the internet and find themselves unable to handle the whereabouts clause of the ADAMS or upload the filled up form. Federations have accepted the responsibility of uploading their whereabouts," he added.
"Similarly in cricket also, although these people are well qualified and they can do it, perhaps they don't have the time for whatever reasons, so the federation concerned, the BCCI has taken upon itself the responsibility of uploading their whereabouts," Agarwal stated.
Agarwal said the explanation given by BCCI seems reasonable, but the decision is still awaited. "Well, they have given an explanation which appears to be reasonable but a decision will be taken," Agarwal stated. He added, "They have said that there has been a glitch with regards to password in ADAMS. Now they have said that issue has been resolved."
With India serving the nationwide lockdown, the rule to submit three months of whereabouts is mandatory. Three such failures to disclose would lead to one Anti-Doping Rule Violation. This could also result in up to two years of suspension upon hearing.
