Two-time Commonwealth Games gold medalist Sathish Sivalingam on Sunday exhorted young athletes to stay away from the scourge of doping in their pursuit of excellence.
Addressing competitors in the Khelo India Youth Games at an anti-doping workshop, the 29-year-old shared insights from his journey as a champion weightlifter.
"I am glad and grateful to my mother for educating me to be careful in not having even a cup of coffee outside since I would be responsible for everything that went into my body," Satish Sivalingam said, explaining how simple mistakes could lead to disastrous results in case of contamination in the food or beverage.
Sathish also shared his experience in securing a TUE (Therapeutic Use Exemption) certificate for a medication that was necessary to treat an injury. "If an athlete is able to have the right documentation, including results of medical tests and prescriptions, getting a TUE is not a difficult process," he said.
National Centre for Sports Science Research Brig (Dr) Bibhu Kalyan Nayak also offered the athletes in the audience some practical insights, including on how they had to be mindful of anti-doping rule violations when seeking treatment for their illness or injury. "Since the rules are strict, it is best to be careful when getting treatment," he said.
The interactive workshop is part of the National Anti-Doping Agency's effort to increase awareness on the subject and to encourage athletes to stay away from doping. Over 4,700 athletes, including 2,262 girls, will be jostling for gold and glory over the next 10 days in 25 exciting disciplines.
Indian weightlifter Sathish Sivalingam has won gold medals in the men's 77 kg weight class at both the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast. Sathish also qualified for 2016 Rio Olympics where he finished 11th in the field of 14 lifters.
( With inputs from ANI )
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