Asia sports chief tells Indian cricketers to accept WADA clause

The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) chief has urged India's national cricketers to fall in line and accept the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) "whereabouts" rule.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India rejected the WADA's clause on Sunday, backing its players' refusal to sign up due to security and privacy issues.

The Indian cricketers missed the August 1 deadline to comply with the regulations, saying they backed the WADA code but argued that the whereabouts clause is "unreasonable".

OCA secretary-general Randhir Singh dismissed the cricketers' concerns.

"The players must fall in line with the WADA clause," Singh said on Monday.

"The international body (ICC) recognises the code. They should look into the problem and solve it."

The BCCI has said some of its players cannot reveal their whereabouts as they had security cover due to militant threats.

Players have to inform the designated official where they would be for one hour daily, up to three months in advance.

"Security is not only for these 10 or 11 players, it is there for thousands of other sportsmen around the world," Singh said.

"We must follow rules and regulations, not try and create any controversy this time."

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Adherence to the WADA rules has become even more important with cricket part of the 2010 Asian Games programme, but Singh was confident India would comply with the doping clause soon.

"I don't think the issue will go that far," he said.

"It looks like a question of misunderstanding. I hope the BCCI will be able to explain it to them and the issue will be over soon.

"The players should understand there is no draconian law going against them," he said.

"It is a simple test. In today's world of sport you have to go through this because of the problem of doping."

The ICC became a WADA signatory in 2006 and its board last year unanimously approved out-of-competition tests on cricketers in accordance with amendments made by WADA to the code.

All other cricketing nations have accepted the WADA rules.

The rules state that three missed disclosures of whereabouts in an 18-month period could result in a two-year ban from international cricket.