April 22, 2008	Tuesday	Rabi-us-Sani 15, 1429

ISLAMABAD, April 21: The Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) has announced the formation of Anti-doping Organisation of Pakistan (ADOP) which will monitor players’ physical and medical fitness according to international standards.

It is the first time ever in the history of Pakistan when the POA has come up with the idea in the meeting held at the Pakistan Sports Board here on Monday.

The meeting was presided over by POA associate secretary Mohammad Yahya and was also attended by ADOP chairman Dr Waqar Ahmed.

The ADOP unanimously decided to include Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Medical Officer Dr Sohail Salim as its member.

Dr Waqar Ahmed told Dawn that the ADOP was established for the betterment and development of country’s Olympic sports.

About the inclusion of Dr Sohail, Waqar said they took the step to educate cricket players and to share information with the PCB on the doping issues.

By creating ADOP, Pakistan has fulfilled the requirements of WADA, the ADOP chairman said.

The organisation will work two-fold i.e. check physical fitness of the players and conduct their dope tests.

About likely punishments which the player would get on using banned drugs, he said the ADOP would initially warn the player and ban him for two years. If he was found guilty again he would be banned for life.

The ADOP meeting also decided to get the anti-doping rules translated into Urdu and to develop new criteria for age scrutiny.