The IPL 2020 will be played in the UAE from September 19 onwards and India's National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) has revealed its testing program for the entire tournament.
As per reports from Times of India, NADA will be setting up a total of five 'Dope Control Stations' (DCS) in the UAE for carrying out its anti-doping activities - one DCS each at the three competition venues in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah, and one such center at each of the two designated training venues - ICC Academy in Dubai and Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
A total of 50 samples of cricketers will be collected during the tournament. And NADA director-general, Navin Agarwal told Times of India that the dope control officers (DCOs) have been directed to perform the 'in competition' testing only at the playing venues, while the 'out-of-competition' testing will strictly be carried out at the training sites.
NADA might also collect blood samples apart from the routine urine tests. Apart from international cricketers, NADA's DCOs will also be encouraged to test leading Indian cricketers, including the likes of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and MS Dhoni, among others.
Three separate teams of NADA officials and DCOs, with each team comprising five members (one senior NADA official, two lead DCOs, and two local chaperones provided by the UAE's anti-doping body) have been constituted to conduct the anti-doping program.
"The first batch will leave in the first week of September. Before their departure, all team members will be tested for Covid-19. Upon their arrival in the UAE, they will be tested again, “a NADA official said.
