Kochi: With not a single official of the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) present to supervise the 57th edition of the state school athletics meet, the sighting of used syringes in the boys' bathrooms have raised eyebrows.
TV screens are now airing the visuals from the bathroom where used syringes were lying on the floor. It was Saturday, soon after the meet began, that reports surfaced that no NADA official would be present to oversee the fair conduct of the four-day event.
"We have been told by NADA officials that they are short staffed and their full attention has to be on national events and hence they will be unable to send any officials for this event," an official overseeing the conduct of the event said.
Incidentally, in the previous two editions of the annual event, NADA officials were present and took samples but are yet to come back with reports.
It is not yet known whether the syringes were used by young athletes and if so, what these were for. Many former athletes have reacted sharply against the NADA for ignoring the school event which is the launch platform for budding athletes.
