Govt. determined to keep sports free from doping; Russel

DHAKA - State Minister for Youth and Sports Mohammad Zahid Ahsan Russel, MP, today said the government has announced a zero tolerance policy to keep the sports free from doping.

“The government has always been focused on clean sports and has been encouraging transparent and clean sports. Under the clear direction of Prime Minister and leader of the people Sheikh Hasina, the Ministry of Youth and Sports is working intensively to make the sports arena doping free. We expect cooperation from various international organizations. We are committed to following the guidelines given by the World Anti-doping Agency,” Russel said while speaking at a virtual conference organized by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) today.

The State Minister said that besides the economic development of Bangladesh, the sports sector is also moving forward at a breakneck pace. And this has been possible thanks to the sports-friendly Prime Minister who has always shown interest in sports and often inspires athletes who have a sign of success in their respective fields.

The intense passion of the Prime Minister towards the country's sports has taken Bangladesh to a unique height in the world sports arena in recent times. The youth have recently won the youth Cricket World Cup and Bangladesh won a record number of gold medals in the Kathmandu South Asian Games.

Terming doping a contagious disease in the world of sports, Russel said: “We are all fighting infectious diseases …..doping affects not only health, but also sports consciousness. So a concerted effort by all stakeholders at the national and international levels are needed to keep the world arena free of doping.”

Referring to various steps taken by the government to keep the sports doping-free, the state minister said they have already complied with the World Anti-Doping Code and formulated anti-doping policies. The players continue to have regular motivational counseling and related training activities and various organizing meetings, seminars and symposiums are organized with all the stakeholders.

Apart from the president, vice president, director general, members of the executive committee of the WADA, sports ministers from Japan, Maldives, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, India, Vietnam, Bhutan and other countries addressed the meeting.BSS