Doping in sports is unpardonable. It is the worst form of cheating. Doping is a scourge which has afflicted sports, including cricket, and undoubtedly it must be eliminated. The objective of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) regulations to achieve this end is certainly laudable. The problem lies in some of its provisions and especially the whereabouts clause as a result of which a cricketer who is included in the International Registered Testing Pool (IRTP) has to provide several details of his/her whereabouts prior to the first day of each quarter ie 1st January, 1st April, 1st July and 1st October respectively including periods where the cricketer is not participating in any sports competition. In addition, a cricketer must for each day during the following quarter provide in writing one 60-minute time slot between 6:00 am and 11:00 pm each day where the cricketer will be available and accessible for doping test at a specific location. International cricketers have a packed tour schedule every year and spend approximately nine to ten months of every year playing competitive cricket much of which is outside India. This leaves a very short period for out-of-competition testing.

The fatal flaw is that during “out-of-competition” periods of rest and time with friends and family, which are few and far between, it is unreasonable that players have to disclose their precise whereabouts and schedule for three months in advance for each and every day of such period. Besides they are subject to random testing at any time and place between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m., as required by the whereabouts clause. As a consequence the players are virtually kept under surveillance from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. throughout the year.

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