New Delhi: The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) is taking stringent measures to prevent impersonation in women's athletics by making DNA tests mandatory for all female athletes.
The AFI has tied up with a World Athletics-accredited laboratory to conduct the tests, which will be borne by the federation.
Impersonation has been a major concern for the AFI, and the federation has put in place safeguards to ensure that athletes are not cheating during the tests.
The DNA tests will be conducted via a cheek swab or blood test, whichever is more convenient, and the results will be uploaded on the World Athletics website before being destroyed for privacy.
The AFI will also implement the gene test at various national competitions, including the National Senior Athletics Federation Cup and the National Inter-State Senior Athletics Meet.
In addition, the AFI has decided to start DNA testing of Indian athletes for research purposes to prevent injuries and gain valuable data on muscle composition and body composition.
