THE World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has warned the International Cricket Council (ICC) it will intervene if it does not resolve a stand-off between Indian cricket chiefs and the country’s drug-testing body.
A WADA spokesman confirmed the ICC had been sent a letter in July urging it to settle the dispute between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Indian National Anti- Doping Agency (NADA).
If the row is not resolved, the case would be referred to WADA’s Compliance Review Committee, raising the possibility that the ICC could be deemed non-compliant
by the global antidoping watchdog.
The BCCI and NADA are at odds over the cricket body’s refusal to allow the Indian
anti-doping agency to conduct drug tests on cricketers.
“Pursuant to the World Anti-Doping Code, the Indian National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) has testing authority over athletes who are nationals, residents, license holders or members of sport organisations in India or who are present in India,” WADA confirmed.
“However the Indian NADA has not been allowed by the BCCI to conduct testing on athletes from the sport of cricket.” Sanctions for being found in non-compliance vary, but the ICC has warned that any suspension arising from the dispute could hurt cricket’s dream of gaining inclusion at the Olympics in 2028.
