Indian athletes acquire dubious doping tag

India has acquired the dubious distinction of being the third most doping country after Russia and Italy, according to a list issued by World anti-doping agency. The Indian participation in the wrestling events has been jeopadised with Narsing Yadav and his room-mate in Sonepat training academy, Sandip Singh, being given notices for doping. Narsingh Yadav has failed in the anti-doping test conducted by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA). The suspected doping wrestlers are said to have used the banned methndienone, according to NADA. In all, four other Indian athletes have failed in anti-doping tests. Two of them are said to be senior members of the Indian hockey team. A third is a thrower. The fourth is shortly to be given notice. The athletes who used the banned substance are stated to have made themselves scarce when the NADA teams went to take their urine samples. The authorities must make the anti-doping test a precondition for entry in the Indian Olympics contingent. The notoriety of the Indian athletes is thus clear: Its fairly widespread. How could the Olympian athletes believe that they would not be found out? Even if they pass through without the tests in India, they would be found out at the world level. The Olympians cannot afford to stake personal pride and nation's pride as well. Just think of the fate of Russia which cannot cry political discrimination and had to beg the International Olympic Committee to expose its athletes to the world arena. Russia has barely managed to escape a blanket ban from the Rio Olympics. Russia, which is a superpower on the athletics front, has agreed to Rio Olympics participation on a case-by-case basis. Would Indian Olympians, in their over-enthusiasm, risk a similar fate as Russia's for the entire contingent. The Indian Olympic Association must conduct the anti-doping tests thoroughly because the country cannot risk doping ignominy.