Soccer body vows action on drugs

Soccer body vows action on drugs

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): Asian soccer supremo Peter Velappan warned yesterday that stiff penalties would be imposed on players who failed drug tests at the 19th SEA Games in Jakarta in October.

"The Asian Football Confederation wants the football competition to be drugs free," Velappan, the AFC general secretary.

He said the AFC would pressure national associations to ensure the objective of a drugs free tournament was met.

"It must be mentioned that national associations will not be spared the penalties either if any of their players are caught for drug abuse," Velappan said.

Asian soccer has seen a number of players caught for drug abuse since the start of the year. The last case involved two Iranians who tested positive during the Asian Club Championship finals here in March.

They were suspended for 12 months each by the AFC and their club fined US$3,000 for negligence.

At the 1994 Asian Games a Thai player also failed a drug test and was banned for a year and the Thai FA fined $3,000.

"There is a tendency amongst national associations to treat this problem lightly. Indifference can have serious consequences as we now see. Despite many reminders and calls for vigilance, the number of cases of players being caught from drug abuse has increased," Velappan said.

"The AFC will be conducting dope tests during the tournament and would ensure that the procedures are fully complied with," Velappan said.

Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Brunei, Vietnam, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, Laos, Indonesia and the Philippines are in the men's competition from Oct. 6 to Oct. 18.

Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore and Indonesia are in the Games women's tournament from Oct. 7 to Oct. 17.