July 07, 2008	Monday	Rajab 3, 1429

ISLAMABAD, July 6: The World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) has approved the rules of the recently formed Anti-Doping Organisation of Pakistan (ADOP), the organisation’s chairman Dr Waqar told Dawn on Sunday.

“We have received a letter of approval from WADA about their successfully incorporating ADOP’s mandatory codes,” he said.

Regarding a question about the organisation’s role here, Dr Waqar said that they would be issuing warning to all those players found guilty of using performance enhancing drugs, adding that, “Those found guilty of consuming performance enhancing drugs can expect a two-year ban with a warning being issued to those players found using specified substances such as cocaine or opium.

“The warning comes first and if the player is found guilty even after that, he would then be facing the ban.”

ADOP under WADA’s umbrella is to monitor all the athletes for the Olympic Games according to the international standards.

Regarding funding for the newly-formed organisation, Dr Waqar pointed out: “We have sent a request to the Pakistan Sports Board for a Rs20 million grant that will prove helpful in our making ADOP effective and operational.”

The chairman said that after getting the required funding, ADOP will set up a lab as well as start work on developing a proper infrastructure.

About ADOP’s future programmes, Dr Waqar said: “ADOP also plans on launching an awareness campaign on a massive scale in order to benefit the country’s sportsmen while educating them about drugs which may end their carrier.”