The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) on Friday announced equal punishment for both athletes and coaches in the event of a failed dope test, introducing a revolutionary policy that aims to hold coaches accountable for failed dope tests of their wards.
The AFI intends to promote a culture of clean sports and reaffirm that doping will not be accepted at any level by making coaches subject to the same sanctions as athletes who fail dope tests.
AFI president Adille Sumariwalla said “it’s high time perpetrators are called out, named and shamed.”
“If an athlete is found doping and is given a sentence, their coach will get a similar sentence from AFI,” Sumariwalla told reporters during an interaction with media after AFI’s Executive Council meeting.
“The coach will be as responsible because this whole issue of doping has gone beyond control. High time that people are called out and they named and shamed and action is taken against them,” he added.
“All coaches have to register with the AFI including NIS diploma holders. While filling their dope forms, whenever they are called for dope control, the athletes will have to declare the name of their coach,” he added.
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In addition to preventing a rush for the money reward when the athlete succeeds, this will make it obvious who the coach is.
The AFI has been talking with different agencies and evaluating this policy for the past six months. This decision is the result of multiple levels of stakeholder consultation.
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