Syringes at Hisar Sports Meet Raise Dope Suspicions

Used syringes scattered inside washrooms at the Giri Centre sports stadium have triggered doping suspicions at the recently concluded seventh Haryana State Senior Athletics Championship in Hisar.

The discarded syringes were found strewn across the floor, hidden behind toilet flushes, and even placed above washroom walls at the Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University venue where the two-day athletics meet wrapped up on Sunday. 

This discovery marks the second such incident in Hisar within months. Last December, used syringes and vials were found at a boxing event, also suggesting possible doping violations. That incident prompted the Haryana Sports Department to issue stern warnings to sports associations and federations, threatening suspension and denial of venues for future events. 

Officials Acknowledge Discovery 

Manoj Kadwasra, secretary of Athletics Hisar, confirmed finding the syringes after the championship concluded but claimed no samples were collected from any participants. 

"We could not detect any suspected athletes, so there was no need for testing," Kadwasra said. However, he acknowledged discussing the matter with coaches and officials. 

Some officials speculated the syringes might have been used during regular practice sessions rather than during the championship itself. "If doping is happening during practice, what can we expect in competitions?" Kadwasra remarked, not ruling out the possibility. 

Association Claims Monitoring

Around 900 athletes participated in the event organized by Athletics Haryana and its Hisar unit. Rajender Malik, president of Athletics Haryana, asserted that the association had an anti-doping committee to monitor participants but admitted he wasn't present during the event. 

"It's unlikely any athlete doped during the championship," Malik claimed, despite the physical evidence found at the venue. 

Calls for Stricter Action 

Ravinder Kumar, joint secretary of the newly formed Haryana Olympics Association (HOA), condemned doping as a "blot on sports" and promised strict action against violators. "This practice is illegal, ruins careers and tarnishes athletes' reputations," Kumar said, indicating the HOA might implement stronger measures to combat doping in state sporting events.