The BCCI, human rights and Wada's doping code.

Interesting article:

[quote]
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is pursuing a high risk strategy in its refusal to adopt the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) code, and its support of its leading players who apparently don't like the idea of being held fully accountable for what's inside them all of the time.

It's hubristic to say the least for India's top players, Mahendra Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh and co to claim their security and human rights are more threatened by the demands of the whereabouts system than say Tiger Woods or Roger Federer. Golf and Tennis, however reluctantly, have seen the arguments for a common anti-doping system, and have signed their sports and top players up to it.

To have to give your whereabouts for an hour a day, 365 days a year strikes me as being a reasonable request given the sums of money India's cricketers earn, the example they're supposed to set for their nation's youth, and the bigger picture of sport accepting collective responsibility for sending out a strong message about drug taking and cheating.



Some of the arguments being articulated in India over this are utterly naive. Various members of the BCCI are saying things like: "there's little risk of drug taking in cricket, it's a skill sport, not a power event, so steroids aren't likely to figure".

Wada has been saying for years that the temptation to shortcut a way to fitness, increase stamina and return more rapidly from injury through doping are among the biggest areas of risk that it is trying to combat.

The sums of money on offer in Twenty20 cricket and the Indian Premier League are surely temptation enough to the unscrupulous to find fitness and form through pharmacology.

The Indian Sports minister is urging the BCCI to see sense. The country's top Olympic athletes and Olympic Association are doing likewise, yet the cricket administrators have just caved in to the demands of their pampered national elite.

From the stories I've read coming out of India, it seems these new superstars, enriched by the insatiable desire for one-day cricket from the sponsors and television companies are running the risk of alienating the public.

The BCCI is now understood to be preparing to deliver a proposition to the International Cricket Council (ICC) that everyone else in the game rip up their adherence to the Wada code, and that a new, cricket-only doping policy be created, whose principle aim appears to be to pacify the 11 leading players in the proposed Indian doping pool.

A better example of the tail wagging the dog you will struggle to find... You might have expected the ICC to take a tough line given the deadline set for adoption and the pressure put on others, like Pakistan to comply.

The governing body's response has been to sit tight and wait until the next board meeting, saying: "What both the ICC and the BCCI are looking for is a practical and mutually acceptable solution to the current situation."

If Dick Pound were still the president of Wada, I can imagine there'd be a succinct answer: "...so adopt the code then".

His successor, John Fahey, is too much of a politician to be that blunt (more is the pity). He says: "Wada laments the decision of the BCCI and is concerned by it. Wada expects that Indian cricketers and the BCCI will understand that, as the ambassadors and guardians of their sport, they have a duty to protect its integrity and will see the benefits of cooperating with the ICC to enforce the World Anti-Doping Code like the rest of the world."

What we are heading for now is an interesting battle of wills, and the outcome will say much for who holds the power in world cricket, the ICC, or the superstars of the IPL.... what's best for sport and the big picture, or just the pursuit of self-interest?
[/quote]



To summarise for those without time or inclination: the BCCI are refusing to sign up to Wada's generic doping code because their players seem to be protesting that stating their whereabouts at certain times is against their human rights. They have proposed an alternative, cricket-only
set of regulations to the ICC.

Any thoughts on this?

Too long to read. Could you summarise it for me please?

Lara Lara Laughs wrote:

Any thoughts on this?

http://www.flamingbails.com/the-flaming-bails-cricket-forum-f1/so-why-are-india-afraid-of-icc-drug-testing-t7301.htm

Although I don't know if I'd call the contents of the thread "thoughts"...

Here is what two of India's tennis stars have to say on this:

link

I personally can understand why Indian cricketers are paranoid about their security. Lakshar e Toiba (the group that masterminded and carried out the Mumbai massacre last Nov) had not long ago put a bounty on Tendulkar and Ganguly's heads following which security for those two was beefed up.

But won't rule out the possibility that BCCI is jumping on this opportunitically as part of its power games with ICC.

Josh Carney wrote:Here is what two of India's tennis stars have to say on this:

link

I personally can understand why Indian cricketers are paranoid about their security. Lakshar e Toiba (the group that masterminded and carried out the Mumbai massacre last Nov) had not long ago put a bounty on Tendulkar and Ganguly's heads following which security for those two was beefed up.

But won't rule out the possibility that BCCI is jumping on this opportunitically as part of its power games with ICC.

The security aspect is the only grey area where I see their point especially after the way information was leaked and the Lankan team attacked last time in Pakistan. Other than that the whole stand is a major bullshit and I hope the brats that make up Indian cricket see reason and BCCI comes around. Else let the house come crashing down I daresay.

I think in deep down in reality the superstars are too busy shooting for ad films all year round when not playing, and must be more paranoid of missing dates of WADA calls and getting out to 3 strikes in all likelihood. This commericial schedule is always hecic, last minute and in hands of their promoters and brand managers and too chaotic even for the players themselves.

Isn't the only "security" risk that the Indian players wives might find out that they are where they shouldn't be?

Ah, LLL returns. And forgotten how to use the 'quote' feature, or to scan the top dozen or so threads to see if a topicis already being discussed...

Zat wrote:Ah, LLL returns. And forgotten how to use the 'quote' feature, or to scan the top dozen or so threads to see if a topicis already being discussed...

has finally recovered from MV's retirement.

LLL Returns?

He's been doing 1 short post every week or so. Obviously thought he'd branch out a bit and start a topic!

Well, I suppose it's ten out of ten for effort but minus several million for form.

LLL's going through his sex change. Currently his clit is enlarged and they're going to pull out his fallopian tube and fill it with some breast fat, mangle it all together to make a cock. The labia will suffice as the scrotum.

Farkin PMSL.

tl;dr

One of the funnier excuses given by the BCCI for supporting the Indian cricketers is that they think the whereabouts clause goes against our constitution. Yeah, and so does slapping a gag order on your players and employees you stupid hypocritical dumbshits.

Sorry about that me ode Vietnamese fruitbat. Didn't know about the other thread.