Context:

• This article is based on an Editorial “Doping is not the seedy underbelly of Indian sport — it’s an open secret” which was published in the Indian Express. A steeplechaser and a sprinter at the Delhi Athletics Championship fled dope testers, highlighting the deep-rooted doping-menace in Indian athletics.

NADA’s Ineffectiveness Exposed

• At the core of this corruption is the encouragement of coaches and parents for quick fixes, and the lethargy of India’s anti-doping machinery.
• The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) has been ineffective in preventing doping, with competitions in remote corners of India taking place without anti-doping officials present.

About Doping

• The use of substances prohibited by the anti-doping agencies in order to gain a competitive advantage is called Doping.
• Narcotics and analgesics, anabolic steroids, hormones, and selective androgen receptor modulators are among the most frequently utilized substances.
  • For example: SARMs (Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators) are getting more and more popular in India.

Ethics in Sports

The World Anti-Doping Code states that there is an intrinsic value in sports that is the celebration of the human spirit, body, and mind, and is reflected in values other than winning or being the first in any sports game. 

• Anti-doping practices are based on this ethical ground and are supported throughout the world.
• Sports can teach values such as fairness, team building, equality, discipline, inclusion, perseverance and respect. 

Also read: Stadiums in India: Indian Stadiums State Wise & Sports Wise List

Doping in Sports: Cheating In Sports Ingrained?

• India is already one of the top-tier anti-doping violators in the world. 
• WADA published its report in December 2022 revealed that India, with 59 instances, comes behind the perennial chart-topper, Russia, which has 135 cases in 2020.

Reasons For Moral Misconduct

• Pressure for performance enhancement: Depending on the sport practiced and the physical attributes it requires, the athletes will look for one or more of the following benefits of doping: recovering from an injury, increasing body recovery capacity after training, increasing muscle mass and strength, decreasing fat tissue, and increasing endurance.
• Excessive Wealth and Fame: Today sports mean sponsors, advertising contracts and money and for that some believe that any risk is worth taking. 
  • Sports are no longer just sports; as sports have become an industry, a business, and a reason for political or national pride, these facts can only lead to breaking any rules to win. 
• Advancement in Technology: 
  • Although anti-doping controls are becoming more rigorous, doping and, very importantly, masking doping-methods are also advancing, and these are usually one step ahead of doping detection techniques.

Implication

• Since sport plays an important role in physical and mental education and in promoting international understanding and cooperation, the widespread use of doping products and methods has consequences not only on the health of the athletes but also on the image of the sport.

The Path Ahead

• Behavioral Approaches: The focus here should be on developing life skills that help to cope with stress and pressure without resorting to unethical means necessary to establish and maintain correct attitudes and behaviors.
• Strict Legislation and Regulation: Stricter legislation with the involvement of authorities is required to prevent the spread, marketing and use of such substances.

Conclusion

India’s sports doping-menace is a deep-seated issue within the system. However, both institutional and behavioral approaches are the current demand for the Indian sports to foster life skills to handle stress ethically, and stringent legislation. Only through collective efforts can India overcome its doping challenges and uphold the true essence of fair play in sports.

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