The International Cricket Council (ICC) could be left in a fix today if India's top cricketers refuse to sign a controversial anti-doping clause which they claim infringes on their privacy. The Indian cricketers have raised concerns ahead of today's deadline that requires all players to sign on the dotted line of the World Anti-Doping Agency's (Wada) "whereabouts" rule. A number of India's leading cricketers are said to unhappy with the whereabouts clause, which stipulates players must tell doping authorities where they will be for one hour every day over a set period of time, to allow for random drug testing.
The strict controls could see players receiving bans of up to two years if they miss three or more tests within 18 months. The players have been asked to fill in their "whereabout update form" by today, with many remaining blanks. Players have shunned the forms, claiming the whereabouts clause infringes on their privacy. Concerns have also been raised over providing long-term plans, where any last minute changes may result in players accidentally missing random tests.
The ICC are not expected to compromise on the clause, which could result in a stalemate with India's players if they stick by their refusal to sign. "We want a drug free sport world and now that ICC is a part of International Olympic Committee, we have to abide by the Wada rules," an ICC official said. The Indian cricket board meanwhile agreed to draft in the ICC's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) to monitor the Indian Premier League (IPL) next March and the Champions League in October.
The move comes when IPL's commitment to fighting corruption was criticised after they kept ACSU away from the Twenty20 league's second season. zgriffiths@thenational.ae
