Five hundred Indian sportspersons, mostly weightlifters and track-and-field athletes, "have failed drug tests conducted by National Anti-Doping Agency in the last four and a half years." A total of 500 athletes "were found to have violated Anti Doping Rules from January 2009 till July 2013 by the country's main anti-doping agency and a total of 423 athletes were slapped with sanctions by the Anti Doping Disciplinary Panel" (PTI, 12/15). ... Empty seats during India's Junior Field Hockey World Cup "has not gone well" with the Int'l Hockey Federation (FIH) and CEO Leandro Negre said that in the future the organizers "should be pro-active in bringing spectators in the stadium" (PTI, 12/15). ... The Badminton World Federation said on Sunday that the instant review system "will be used in leading tournaments in 2014 following its successful debut at the World Superseries Finals" (XINHUA, 12/15). ... Internal communications from Australian Football League club Essendon suggest that key staff "hoped to continue the supplements program into 2013 and reveal a plan to inject players with an anti-dementia drug until grand final day 2012, despite previous demands for the jabs to stop." The email correspondence "gives fresh insights into the club's fascination with supplements and the involvement of key figures, including James Hird and Danny Corcoran, in a program Essendon previously tried to tie to the actions of 'rogue' staff in Stephen Dank and Dean Robinson" (THE AGE, 12/16).
