Legendary athlete Milkha Singh has supported prompt action taken by Sports Minister Ajay Maken, for taking prompt action against Ukrainian Coach and two Indian coaches who were training women athletes at NIS Patiala.
India's top eight athletes, including three members of the Commonwealth and Asian Games gold medal winning 4x400 relay team, had tested positive for anabolic steroids in out-of-competition testing.
Speaking to rediff.com, the Flying Sikh said that the Indian Olympic Association would have to be more strict and have to ensure that the coaches of the guilty athletes are immediately suspended so that it sends strong message to other coaches as well.
"I fully support the action taken by the sports minister against the foreign coach and two other Indian coaches. He has announced a judicial probe by a high court judge and let us hope we get more revelations," the Milkha Singh said.
Milkha Singh believed that the coaches are to be blamed for the mess. "The federations and IOA must share the blame. They are all looking for results and whenever drug abuse is brought to their notice, they turn a blind eye and take no action. The coaches encourage use of drugs. Wrestling coaches in particular are guilty of misconduct in this matter," he said.
He asked the budding athletes to come up the hard way and not fall to use of drugs and should say no when their coaches ask them to use drugs.
He lauded Sukhbir Singh Badal, deputy chief minister of Punjab, for cancelling the licences of chemists who were selling drugs in their shop right next to NIS Patiala.
