Virender Sehwag included in NADA's Anti-Doping Appeals Panel

Former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag has recently been named in the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) panel. He became the first Indian cricketer to be named in any of the functioning panels of the NADA. He was named in the Anti-Doping Appeals Panel (ADAP). Apart from Virender Sehwag, the other cricketer to be named in the same panel is Delhi’s batsman Vinay Lamba.

Among the other sports persons, weight-lifter N Kunjarani Devi has been named in the Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel (ADDP). She had won the silver medal back in the year 1999 in the World Championships. The naming of these individuals in the respective panels have been a result of the major revamp of the NADA setup.

The restructuring has been approved by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. Over the years, there have been questions hovering around the fact that NADA does not have enough player representations. Now, this seems to have been sorted out. The major setback with the appointment of Virender Sehwag in the panel has been felt by the BCCI.

The BCCI has been at loggerheads with NADA over the last few months. The entire scene had brewed up when the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, led by MOS (independent) Colonel Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, had ordered NADA to conduct a dope test of the Indian cricketers – both international and domestic cricketers. The BCCI was not very pleased with it and had opposed the move. However, the Ministry eventually ruled it in the favor of NADA in the case.

Also, another surprising twist in the story is in regard with N Kunjarani’s appointment. The wrestlet herself was banned for 6 months in 2001 for having failed the dope tests. Now, she will be a part of the panel making important calls on this issue.

Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel

Chairman – Kuldeep Singh (retired district and sessions judge)

Members – Manik Dogra (advocate), Nalin Kohli (advocate), Bina Gupta (advocate), Surbhi Mehta (advocate), Dr Vinod Dogra, Dr Ankit Sharma, Dr Sumita Gupta, Dr Chengappa Rajpal, Reeth Abraham, Akhil Kumar, N Kunjarani Devi, Jagbir Singh and Colonel (Dr) Sanjeev Kumar

Anti-Doping Appeals Panel

Chairman – Justice (retired) RV Easwar

Members – Vibha Datta Makhija (senior advocate), Dr Naveen Dang, Dr Harsh Mahajan, Virender Sehwag and Vinay Lamba