Blow to boxing as used syringes, empty vials litter washroom of Hisar stadium

Used syringes and empty vials stuffed behind flush tanks of a washroom deal a blow to the claims of “successful” conduct of the state boxing championship at Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University (HAU) here this week.

Minister vows action

If this has happened, it is unfortunate. The government will take strict action against elements indulging in use of banned substances in sports.

Gaurav Gautam, Haryana sports minister

The fifth Elite Men Haryana State Boxing Championship, organised by the Haryana Boxing Sangh — affiliated with the Boxing Federation of India and Haryana Olympic Association — concluded yesterday. The three-day event saw 250 boxers from 22 districts and three Sports Authority of India (SAI) centres in action.

The Tribune team found empty vials and syringes in the washroom of the Giri Centre Sports Stadium at the HAU — telltale signs of the use of performance-enhancing substances by some of the participants. Asked about the presence of syringes, some players and coaches admit that doping has been rampant at state-level tournaments across disciplines. While coaches are aware of the practice, the pressure to perform and get results remains the driver, say sources.

Haryana Sports Minister Gaurav Gautam has termed this “unfortunate” and said the “government will take strict action against elements indulging in doping in sports”.

Ravinder Pannu, general secretary, Haryana Boxing Sangh, acknowledges the dark reality of doping during tournaments. “The matter was brought to my attention. I inspected the washrooms and found this stuff. We raised the matter with the participants and even warned them of action by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA). Though the agency doesn’t visit state-level events to collect samples, we tried creating a scare by making a hoax call of NADA officials having arrived at the venue,” he says, adding they even deployed a doctor, posing as a NADA official, to collect samples.

Organisers claim a request was made to NADA member Akhil Kumar to visit state tournaments. “We tried catching the players using these drugs but they seem to have been alerted by our initial warning,” says Pannu.

A coach, preferring anonymity, says players use banned steroids to enhance their performance. “These are meant to increase red blood cells, which can be detected in the test and improve speed,” he says.

Lack of awareness among players remains a challenge, says Pannu. Some players claim they were made to believe that some of these injections are not illegal. Jagdish Singh, a boxing coach, says use of steroids at state-level tournaments is a matter of grave concern and steps are needed to curb the misuse.

Gautam says, “ Doping has no place in sports. I appeal to sportspersons to shun any kind of performance-enhancing substance.”