The curse that is doping

| Thursday September 9, 2010 00:00

It has left the sporting fraternity shell-shocked because such incidents are rare in Botswana. The shock is made more severe because it comes almost on the eve of the Commonwealth Games where Baloyi was expected to test- and prove - his mettle. The nation is seized with anticipation and hope that our representatives will bring medals from the competition to be hosted by New Delhi, India from October 3 to 14. But it is precisely because of the imminence of the Games that there is increased focus on athletes.  However, the passion of our anticipation is suddenly tempered by the bad news that Baloyi failed testing for banned substances after he took an energy drink that contained illicit performance drugs, unwittingly, as the athlete says.

In the wake of the incident, the Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC) has publicly accepted blame, citing general lack of education on doping. Its Chief Executive Officer, Tuelo Serufho, has promised that they will be more vigilant to stop a repeat of the Baloyi incident, which has certainly tarnished our country's reputation.

But accepting responsibility alone is insufficient. What is crucial will be how the problem is tackled going forward.This incident has exposed levels of complacency in our athletics structures that will not do in a world grown weary of substance abuse and now the wiser for it. BNOC's doping advisory committee - of whose existence we learn from Serufho - has been exposed as a dud.

Financial constraints cannot be used as an excuse because athletes participate in numerous local and international competitions every season, availing BNOC equally numerous opportunities to disseminate information on doping.

It is naive - it has to be said - of Serufho to assume that Botswana is so isolated that our athletes are immune from doping. 'May be we have always ignored issues of doping because we never thought the usage of performance-enhancing substances was a problem in our country,' he says.

To Baloyi, our 26-year old international athlete, we say you should have known better regardless of the high stakes involved in competitions like the Commonwealth Games. Needless to say, true athletes prove their mettle out of sheer grit.

It is not for us to make a judgement on the truthfulness or honesty of your claim that you took the offending drink unaware of its 'deadly effect'. We believe that you have it in you to take on the world's best without artifice.And for whatever it is worth, take heart that BNOC is with you and has accepted blame for your misdemeanour.

                                                                 Today's thought

'Even the so-called 'gold standard' anti-doping programmes are ineffective, let alone the inept programmess that exist in professional sports.'

                                                                     Victor Conte