ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) on Saturday said a proposal to control doping in sports in the country through a legal instrument was under consideration.
“Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) will also be taken on board for this consultative process for which we have already sought help and guidance from World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and its regional officials besides capacity building of our officials in the subject matter,” PSB Director General Col (R) Muhammad Asif Zaman, said in a statement issued here.
He said, “Doping is a problem which will require cooperation form athletes, coaches and federations to solve it. It can’t be solved alone by anyone”. He said PSB has ensured that all athletes have proper guidance and awareness about doping and its consequences. “The coaches have been guided properly on this issue and even the National Sports Federations (NSFs) have also been taken on board during the anti-doping programs and campaigns launched by PSB for the awareness of sports persons”.
Speaking about news published in a section of press, he said, “PSB is well aware of its role and how to save athletes from the prevailing menace of doping. That is why we continuously arrange awareness programs on this issue and PSB has conducted a number of seminars & conferences on Anti-Doping awareness. Recently PSB has organized a one-day seminar on “Doping & its Physiology, Doping & Psychological effects on an athlete, WADA & its governance system and samples collecting methods”.
The players, coaches, managers, office bearers of NSFs, medical practioners, pharmacists and sports academia attended the seminar. Nutrition, drugs and prohibited substances were mainly focused during the proceeding of this full day activity. Moreover, anti-doping awareness has also been made an integral part of all national training camps.
“PSB has also come up as a trend setter on social media while observing “True Play Day for Peace”. Our staff, camp trainers (Athletes & Coaches) uploaded dozens of videos messages on social media, WADA web-address a part from PSB website etc. The activity reflects our commitment toward WADA anti-doping programs” the DG said.
He said Pakistan has regularly paying a hefty amount to WADA as annual contribution as its due share. Clarifying the issue of National Anti-Doping Organizations (NADO) and ADOP, Zaman said, “We tried to setup a special body (NADO Pakistan) for the implementation of WADA Code in its true spirit across the country”.
