Neeraj Antil, a Sonipat-based powerlifter, coach and Haryana State Powerlifting Association official, has claimed the dubious distinction of being the first to be provisionally suspended by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) for Trafficking or Attempted Trafficking of Prohibited Substances.
Often at the receiving end of criticism, NADA has done well to identify a likely trafficker and impose what may be a first provisional suspension for trafficking or attempted trafficking of banned substances. It seems NADA investigators have followed a lead available on Instagram to track, investigate and eventually impose a provisional suspension on Neeraj Antil.
With no checks on the sale of supplements unlike for medication, a plethora of handles on Instagram and YouTube offer ‘authentic’ nutrition supplements at ‘competitive’ prices to gullible (and sometimes aware) athletes who are on either the high performance or the recreational journey.
Of course, it is not as if athlete support personnel have not been sanctioned before. But the couple of coaches who have been banned by ADDPs have faced consequences for either injecting an athlete with prohibited substances or for preventing a Dope Control Officer from collecting samples of an athlete.
Back in 2019, a National Anti-Doping Appeal Panel, chaired by Vibha Datta Makhija, directed NADA to blacklist Puneet and Sunny Malik after information provided by decathlete Jagtar Singh led to the discovery of a very important source of illegal/unlicensed supply of prohibited substances and of a criminal offence under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.
Some athletes have convinced ADAPs to reduce the periods of ineligibility sanctioned by ADDPs, ostensibly because the athletes have provided ‘substantial assistance’ to NADA against either suppliers or coaches. However, unlike in Jagtar Singh’s case, it is not known if there has been any punitive action – even blacklisting – of those named by the athletes.
ADDPs or ADAPs have sanctioned more than 1450 persons since 2009. A further 262 have accepted ineligibility periods under Case Resolution Agreements and 100 are awaiting either such agreements or hearings. Of the 1800-plus rule violations in 16 years, a case of trafficking or attempted trafficking has been quite unheard of. Until now, that is.
You may wonder why the allegation against Neeraj Antil and his provisional suspension raise expectations from NADA. To be honest, its action comes as a surprise since it has been known to largely ignore leads provided during panel hearings. Except in the case of coach Mickey Menezes, NADA has rarely followed up on revelations during the hearings.
Sample these: Javelin thrower Shivpal Singh said he took supplements – without batch numbers and bill of purchase– on the directions of his coach Mintu Ahlawat; Long Jumper B Aishwarya had named fellow-athlete Jagdish for ‘suggesting’ Ostarine for her injured shoulder; Middle-distance runner Amandeep Singh Punia took Darbapoetin Alpha injection on the advice of his supervisor Ashish Chaudhary.
While Neeraj Antil’s provisional suspension is indicative of NADA stepping up its fight against perpetrators of doping in sports, it must be hoped that this would be the first of many such actions that can act as deterrent to other suppliers. The war against doping will get more challenging if this ends up as a one-off attempt – or as a flash in the pan, so to say.
Besides, since National Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panels have been sluggish in dealing with cases of alleged complicity, when the case is taken to its logical conclusion and the charge of trafficking of prohibited substances sticks, NADA must amplify its campaign against such perpetrators of doping rather than be hidden by the veil of secrecy or tokenism.
Note on photo above: Created by ChatGPT and edited for illustration purposes.
