Dope testing in all Champions Trophy venues

In order to implement strict anti-doping measures for the ICC Champions Trophy in India, the ICC has requested for an isolated room at each of the four venues - Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Jaipur and Mohali. The ICC is expected to conduct tests on random urine samples of the players participating in the tournament in October and November.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed this request, and stated that the dope testing will come under the responsibility of the ICC. "The ICC has asked us to keep one isolated room at all four venues for collecting samples", Ratnakar Shetty, the BCCI executive secretary told Indo Asian News Service. "But dope testing will not be the BCCI's responsibility. The ICC has a contract with the WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) and they will take care of this."

According to the rules of the anti-doping programme in ICC-organised tournaments, the host country is expected to have a WADA accredited laboratory for testing the samples. However, India does not have such a facility and a similar lab, at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi, is reportedly not adequately equipped. Therefore, the samples will be tested outside India.

"We are thinking on those lines", Niranjan Shah, the BCCI secretary, told PTI. "We will take the samples of all those chosen for the tournament and send them to Malaysia or Bangkok (Thailand) for dope testing. Why take any chances."

Shah added that the Indian squad for the Champions Trophy and the tri-series in Malaysia, scheduled for mid-September, will be picked on the same day. "We have to submit the Champions Trophy squad of 14 to the ICC by September 7 and it makes sense in selecting both the squads on the same day. It will be done either on September 5 or 6."