Seminar on doping held

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:  Minister for Sports K B Ganesh Kumar has said that a new stadium with multiple facilities would be set up in Pala within one year to train athletes. He also said that within one month,  all sports coaches in the State would be given advanced training in upgraded and international facilities.  Inaugurating a seminar on ‘Menace of doping and counter strategies’ jointly organised by Lakshmibai National College of Physical Education (LNCPE), Sports Authority of India (SAI) and National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) at Kariavattom, near here, on Monday in connection with the Sports Day celebrations, Ganesh Kumar said  lack of infrastructural facilities was the major problem in providing training for economically backward athletes. He said that awareness programmes had proved useful in curbing the doping  practised by many sports personalities. The Minister said that athletes would be allowed to travel in Third AC compartments during the trips to attend inter-state competitions. The cash awards for the winners in games and sports will be given  through  ATMs. The distribution of  ATM cards for the purpose will start as soon as possible, he said.   He said that a football stadium with synthetic track of  international standard would be constructed soon in Ernakulam district so as to conduct tournaments in the sport in Kerala. “Doping tests must be introduced from school-level competitions and the drug users must be debarred from further participation in games as doping will destroy the spirit of sports,” Ganesh Kumar said. The selection criteria for Kerala Sports Council and other sports coaching  institutions should  be changed and new policy must be implemented for the selection process, he said.  M A Vahid MLA presided  over the function. Planting of mango saplings was also held in connection with the celebrations. Major sports personalities like Shiny Wilson, George Thomas, Wilson Cherian, Omanakumari, Bobby Aloysious and Rosakutty spoke. IG S Gopinath; Kerala Sports Council secretary Abdul Razak; Additional Director, Department of Sports S Nujumudeen; Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUE) chairman C D Tripathi; NADA project manager V Jayaraman; Pradeep Gupta; and  Kerala Olympic Association secretary P A Hamsa were also present .