Sad and unfortunate, say Karnataka's stars

“It’s expected but difficult to digest. Sad, very sad,” was former sprinting ace Ashwini Nachappa’s comment, as news of AC Ashwini’s positive result in the test conducted by the National Anti-Doping Agency hit the television screens in the evening.

Nachappa’s words echoed the sentiments of all the fans of track and field in the State, with former athletes and coaches sympathising with the athlete while pointing fingers at the system that has encouraged sportspersons to adopt wrong methods.

“It’s a sad thing to happen, it brings bad name for athletics,” said Asian Games silver medallist Uday K Prabhu. “Individually, I don’t think the athletes go for it. I will only partially blame the athlete.

“The system is also responsible for it. I don’t think it will happen without the authorities being aware of it,” said Uday, who was second in the 400M at the 1978 Asian Games.

“I wouldn’t blame the athletes, I would blame the system,” agreed senior coach VR Beedu, who has coached the national team in the past. Beedu felt foreign coaches and training stints in Ukraine were spoiling the Indian athletes.

“The government must re-examine the policy of appointing foreign coaches,” said Beedu. “Ever since we started relying on Eastern European coaches in the 1990s, things started to move in the wrong direction,” he said, laying the blame squarely on foreign coaches.
Nachappa felt India should shift their focus from the Olympic Games to cleaning up the sport first. “Qualifying for the Olympic Games is not of prime importance now. Cleaning up the system is important,” she said, adding that it was a devastating piece of news for any athlete.

Both Nachappa and Uday agreed with Beedu that the government should clamp down on trips to Ukraine. “We have been saying this for so many years now. Despite the fact that such things have been going on for so many years, little has been done to change it,” Ashwini said.

“For more than ten years, such things have been going on. It is all part of a well-planned system. It is surprising that till now, nothing has come out,” said Uday. “The athletes might be simply toeing the line, perhaps looking to better their performances quickly and in search of glory.”