Cooperation of coaches and governing body officials missing in anti-doping efforts, says Ramlan
Monday, October 3rd, 2011 01:22:00
PETALING JAYA: The National Sports Institute (NSI) believes there is a need for associations and coaches to play a proactive role in the fight against doping.
NSI director-general Datuk Dr Ramlan Aziz (pic) said his institute can only do so much and the parties concerned should play their part to ensure the athletes remain clean.
Ramlan, who is currently in Jeddah, did not discount the possibility of ensuring stricter monitoring of the athletes especially during tournaments.
"The education is ongoing especially at the Malaysia Games level but it will have to be stepped up as a continuing improvement as resources allow," said Ramlan yesterday.
"But what is missing is the solid support and cooperation of coaches and sports governing body officials. They need to be educated too."
Ramlan added officials seem to lack knowledge while others are clueless on the demands of anti-doping efforts in modern sports.
"Some don't care while there are those who are ever willing to sweep things under a musty old carpet that stinks of fish! If they keep up with their own international governing bodies, they would at least be in synchronicity and have the benefit of their advise and ongoing preventive programmes."
Ramlan said most officials recognise and respect the need for anti-doping but they have to step up their game and work together with NSI in the fight against the misuse of drugs.
Two UniKL hockey players had apparently failed anti-doping tests after their match against UiTM on Sept 18 in the curtain-raiser of the Malaysian Hockey League (MHL).
It was alleged the two players tested positive for using recreational drugs.
Meanwhile, in an email to members of the Press yesterday, Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) secretary Maninderjit Singh claimed he did not provide any statements as reported in a local daily yesterday as "the athletes concerned had sought for their Sample B to be tested to reconfirm the results".
"MHF will make the official announcement of the matter after fulfilling the procedures in accordance to the Anti Doping Agency Malaysia and MHF/Federation International Hockey Anti Doping regulations undertaken by teams and officials for the TNB-MHL 2011," the statement added.
In 2009, a Sapura player was tested positive and banned by MHF for two years while two others tested positive at the Malaysia Games in Malacca last year. All three were caught using recreational drugs.
In May, the nation was rocked with a doping scandal after six national athletes snubbed an anti-doping test. Three returned to NSI to be tested the next day while the other three quickly left for Bulgaria for a training stint.
The athletes were said to have taken "pink coloured pills" meant for "recovery and relaxation".
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