WADA team did not visit NIS for sample collection

Patiala, Apr 9 (UNI) Indian Anti-Doping Commission, member secretary Dr Ashok Ahuja today expressed surprise at reports that a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) team had visited the NIS here and taken blood and urine samples of 10 weightlifters.

A well known sports medicine expert in the country, Dr Ahuja asserted here today that just a laboratory technologist from Malaysia made a routine visit to the NIS on behalf of WADA a few days back and collected urine samples of weightlifters.

He refuted that there was a three-member WADA team at the NIS.

Moreover, no blood samples were collected since the facilities at the NIS for such an exercise do not exist, he maintained.

Dr Ahuja said that in the past WADA officials had made routine visits to the NIS to collect urine samples of sportspersons in various sports disciplines.The last time WADA dope control officer from the United Kingdom visited the NIS was on March 9 when he collected urine samples of weightlifters, wrestlers and athletes.

" Such an exercise is a routine matter and there should be no media hype", he added.

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