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World Athletics says awaiting report on Delhi meet where athletes dodged dope-testing officials | Sport-others News

World Athletics, the international governing body, is “awaiting with interest” the report of the Athletics Federation of India’s (AFI) probe committee into the incident at the Delhi State Athletics Championship last month, where most athletes fled the field of play after the arrival of dope-testing officials.
Sebastian Coe, president of World Athletics, said he has spoken to AFI officials as well as the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), a group formed to fight doping, after the incident was brought to his attention.
“I am waiting for a report on that, as is the AIU. I was travelling at the end of the season so I am waiting for a report from the Indian federation,” Coe, who is in Mumbai for the International Olympic Committee Session, told The Indian Express.

Asked if there’s any timeline for the report to be submitted, Coe replied: “I don’t know ( when). I spoke to the Indian federation immediately afterwards and they said they were in Hangzhou at the time (for the Asian Games)… I will await the report.”
As reported The Indian Express, the sudden appearance of anti-doping officials on the final day of the Delhi State Athletics Championship, at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in the capital on September 26, resulted in mass withdrawal of athletes – only one sprinter turned up for the men’s 100 metres final; the Under-20 boys’ 100-metres final saw just three finals; and the Under-16 boys’ hammer throw too had just one participant.
The National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) officials had dropped in a day after a purported video clip of the washroom at the stadium showed piles of used syringes.Most Read
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Coe, a 1,500 metres double Olympic gold medall, said that “cheating is non-negotiable” and is being taken “extremely seriously”. “People now recognise that we take it extremely seriously, our testing systems are sounder and more extensive than they’ve ever been. We have spent more than $8 million a year on the AIU, so people know we are very serious about maintaining the highest reputation. Cheating is non-negotiable,” Coe said, adding, “We will await the report with interest”.
AFI chief Adille Sumariwalla said the federation’s disciplinary committee, headed retired IPS officer B K Sinha, is conducting the probe. “The disciplinary committee is looking into it. I have not interfered in the process and do not know the current status,” Sumariwalla said.
According to the World Anti-Doping Agency’s latest report, while Russia tops the l of violations with over 100 cases, India ranks second with 59 violations.

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