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As Team Fiji athletes are counting down the days to leave our shores for the Pacific Mini Games, they are not only focusing on their physical preparations but on the mental as well

That is because qualified ppsychologist Peni Tove is engaging directly with the athletes like he did during the Team Fiji Assembly.

Team Fiji says Tove’s session focused on the importance of safeguarding in sport, ensuring every athlete feels safe, respected, and supported both before and during the Games.

They say Tove shared practical strategies on how athletes can identify and respond to safeguarding concerns, manage pressure, stress and emotional challenges and also protect their mental health while striving for excellence.

They add that as part of their holistic approach for the athletes, a dedicated safe space will be made available to athletes during the Games and at the accommodation – a place to release tension, reset focus, and let go of any negative energy that may affect performance or well-being.

The 2025 Pacific Mini Games will be from Sunday to July 9th.

India has topped the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) global doping violations list for 2023, registering 214 Adverse Analytical Findings (AAFs) from 5,606 samples a positivity rate of 3.8%, the highest among countries with over 1,000 tests.

This troubling development has sparked concern among athletes, officials, and sports fans, prompting the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to announce a renewed crackdown on doping. The government is set to amend the National Anti-Doping Bill and ramp up testing and awareness campaigns in a bid to restore the integrity of Indian sports.

India’s Doping Challenge: Numbers, Reactions, and Human Impact

According to WADA’s 2023 report, India surpassed nations like China, the USA, France, Germany, and Russia in doping violations, with 214 positive cases detected. Of the 5,606 samples collected, nearly half were during competitions, and the 3.8% positivity rate is significantly higher than China’s 0.2% and the USA’s 1.0%.

The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) has increased its testing efforts, collecting more samples than ever before. “Any amount of doping is unacceptable but we have to acknowledge that our testing is vigorous and with every year the sample size is increasing.

With our aggressive awareness campaigns, we intend to bring the numbers down in the next two years,” a Sports Ministry official told the media. Many athletes, meanwhile, have voiced frustration that the actions of a few are tarnishing the hard-earned reputations of the wider sporting community.

The news has also led to calls for better education and support for young and grassroots athletes, who are often most vulnerable to inadvertent violations.

Policy Overhaul: Legislative Changes and New Initiatives

In response to the alarming report, the Sports Ministry has revived and amended the National Anti-Doping Bill 2022. The revised legislation, soon to be tabled in Parliament, will drop the criminalisation of athlete involvement with doping syndicates, following WADA’s objections.

The proposed National Board for Anti-Doping in Sports has also been scrapped to avoid excessive government interference. Instead, the focus will shift to stricter penalties, enhanced testing, and robust education for athletes and coaches.

The Ministry is also pushing digital tools like the “Know Your Medicine” app, designed to help athletes check substances and avoid accidental violations. “We are determined to fight doping. It is not acceptable. That’s why we have increased the sample size every year. If you see the result, there is a decline in the rate over the last few years from over 5 per cent to three per cent. We have been transparent in our policy,” a senior official stated.

The government’s multi-pronged approach aims to balance deterrence with education and support, acknowledging that lasting change will require both systemic reform and cultural transformation.

The Logical Indian’s Perspective

India’s repeated appearance at the top of the WADA doping list is a sobering moment for the nation’s sporting community. While stricter enforcement and legislative changes are necessary, the real solution lies in building a culture of integrity, transparency, and empathy.

It is vital to support athletes not just with testing and penalties, but with education, mental health resources, and guidance especially for those at the grassroots who may lack access to information or support. True sporting greatness is rooted in fairness, discipline, and respect for the rules. As a society, how can we collectively support our athletes to compete clean and uphold India’s sporting honour?

Hong Kong Olympic hero Camille Cheng Lily-mei’s work outside the pool was recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) earlier this month, when she was named one of the body’s first mental health ambassadors.

Cheng, who has represented Hong Kong at three Olympic Games, travelled to Lausanne, Switzerland, for the IOC Consensus Meeting on Mental Health for Elite Athletes in early June after being invited to serve as the female representative for Asia.

The IOC’s mental health ambassador scheme is a new initiative aimed at putting athletes’ voices and lived experiences at the centre of efforts to address mental health challenges and disorders in elite sport.

Cheng is the co-founder of Hong Kong-based mental health charity Mind the Waves.

“There’ll be 12 representatives: a female representative and a male representative from the Americas, Asia, Oceania, Europe, Africa, and then two more,” Cheng said.

“It is up to the ambassador to be very proactive in how we bring what the IOC is doing in this space to our own region.

BOWIE, MD — Bowie State University head softball coach Ed Powell has been selected to participate in the MLB Breakthrough Series, held at the Kansas City Urban Youth Academy from Saturday, June 21 through Thursday, June 26 in Kansas City, Mo. This marks the second consecutive year Powell has received this prestigious invitation.

“I’m truly honored to be part of the MLB Breakthrough Series once again,” said Powell. “This program is so much more than a showcase, it’s an opportunity to empower and uplift some of the most talented and dedicated young softball players in the country. Helping these athletes grow not just on the field, but as leaders and individuals, is what makes this experience so meaningful. It’s a privilege to contribute to a platform that opens doors and leaves a lasting impact on their lives.”

Powell will be one of two head coaches from the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) selected to participate in the Breakthrough Series, joining Bluefield State head coach Chelsea Holliday.

About Softball Elite Development Invitational
The Elite Development Invitational is a multi-day, 18 and under training camp that features intense on-field softball development and game play along with various off-field development sessions covering topics such as college recruiting, mental health and women in sports.

The event is coached by current and former USA Softball Women’s National Team athletes, professional softball players and college coaches. Participants represent some of the top athletes from the MLB Youth Academy and Nike RBI network.

For more information about the MLB Breakthrough Series, please click HERE.

For the most up-to-date information on Bowie State Athletics and its 13 varsity sport teams, visit bsubulldogs.com. 

Trans kids just want the same opportunities as their peers. They want to be on sports teams to have fun, get exercise, and hang out with their friends. Just like any other kid. When we deny them that right, we are actively causing harm that could easily be avoided. And, in the end, this discriminatory behavior hurts us all.