WADA urges ICC to convince members to accept anti doping clause

New Delhi, May 26 (ANI): World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Director General David Howman has said the International Cricket Council (ICC) should convince its member bodies, including India, to comply with players' whereabouts clause.

Addressing a news conference here after holding discussions with Indian sports officials, Howman said that the ICC is a signatory to the WADA Code in 2006, but has not implemented the 'whereabouts' clause that came into force from January 1, 2009, because of stiff opposition from Indian cricketers.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has backed the players' objection to this clause, saying that not only does it infringe upon their privacy, but it also could be in violation of the Indian constitution.

As per the WADA clause, the players are to inform their whereabouts on a daily basis three months in advance.

While other major cricketing nations have complied by the 'whereabouts' clause of WADA, the BCCI has said its players have privacy and security concerns and tests should not be conducted during the off-season.

"International Cricket Council is responsible to its member bodies, they include the BCCI and the BCCI to be a member of international federation should comply with the rules of the international federation. It is their job to make sure they are," Howman said.

He also said that he would like to convince Indian players about the rule.

"I think it is just lack of understanding. Anil Kumble who is a very famous player in this country is a member of the WADA athlete committee. He fully understands the rule, he fully accepts the rule can be applied and he sees no impediment," he said.

"What we would like to do is as I said before is heed the opportunity of talking with the players, not with their agents, not with their lawyers, not with their doctors, but with the players," Howman added.

The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) Director General Rahul Bhatnagar said they are taking all precautions to ensure that the Indian contingent participating at the upcoming Commonwealth Games is totally dope free.

"We are very particular that the Commonwealth Games we should not have any positive cases. The Indian team is going to mainly come out of the core probable, so we are going to have some more tests to ensure that during the Commonwealth Games we are totally dope free," Bhatnagar said.

The WADA has set November 2011 as the deadline for the BCCI to comply with the clause.(ANI)