Int'l cricket players are to "face more stringent drug testing during major tournaments" after the Int'l Cricket Council decided to "introduce blood testing, in addition to urine testing." The new testing will be introduced at the Champions Trophy, to be held in England and Wales in June, when all int'l cricketers "will have blood samples taken to bring them in line" with World Anti-Doping Agency guidelines on "smart testing." The ICC is "increasingly concerned that there are a lot of performance-enhancing drugs and steroids that are not visible in urine samples, but which do show up in blood samples" (LONDON TIMES, 2/6).
India’s high ranking in the global doping violators’ list is expected to become more "respectable," the country's National Anti-Doping Agency claimed on Monday, asserting that it "successfully tightened its monitoring system." NADA said that in '16 it "conducted 151 tests" (PTI, 2/6).
Representatives from the Slovenian National Paralympic Committee met with the Minister of Education, Science & Sport to discuss the draft of a new law which will bring improved regulation for Para sport in the country. For the first time, the draft of the new law recognizes Para sport as equal to able-bodied sport. The most significant change is to make the rights of both groups the same, which will have a huge impact on Para sport in Slovenia (NPC Slovenia).
The Turf Club has "no plans to replicate French racing’s introduction of a 4.5lb (2kg) allowance for female jockeys" and the Irish Jockeys Association said that it can not see a "similar initiative ever being considered." France Galop will "bring in the controversial measure next month" for almost 90% of its races. There has been a "mixed reaction to the move," with British champion apprentice Josephine Gordon labeling it "a bit offensive" (IRISH TIMES, 2/5).
