Virender Sehwag warns players against corruption, doping

Mumbai: Former India opener Virender Sehwag has urged cricketers and administrators to keep the game clean, expressing concern over corruption and doping in the game.

“If you love this game, then you should not go on that path. If you go to that path, it means you don’t love this game, that means you are only playing for money,” Sehwag said while delivering the seventh Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi Lecture at the BCCI Awards here.

“If you play well, money will follow. So don’t go (that path). If somebody contacts you, please tell BCCI and the ICC, that is important. If you ignore, he will go to somebody else and that somebody else might do stupid things. Make sure, that you inform,” he added.

Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan was suspended for two years for failing to report an approach by a suspected Indian bookie.

Speaking about doping, Sehwag said: “I can understand a lot of cricketers are doing fitness, but I don’t think that you can have anything and build your muscles, which can help you to perform in batting or bowling,” he said.

“So please keep yourself available for anti-doping (tests). We have seen a couple of young cricketers banned by BCCI for having banned substances. It’s the BCCI’s responsibility also to ensure that awareness starts from the under-16 and under-19 levels,” he added.

India U-19 World Cup winning captain Prithvi Shaw had served an eight-month ban for failing a dope test.

 Published on: Jan 13, 2020 at 17:10 IST

IANS