The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have called an emergency meeting for Sunday to discuss opposition among its players to fully adopting the World Anti Doping Agency's (WADA) code, which has been adopted by the International Cricket Committee for all international matches.

 

 

The players have objected to the controversial rule which says that all competitors must tell where they will be for one hour each day, so that they can be subjected to out-of-competition testing - if so needed - by WADA officials.

 

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has asked all cricket boards to ask their players to fill the "whereabouts update form" by tomorrow.

 

The players have to submit details of their whereabouts from August 1 to October 31.

 

Sachin Tendulkar (pictured), the country's best known player, is among those who are refusing to particpate in the scheme.

 

Under WADA rules, any sportsperson who misses three tests in 18 months faces a ban of up two-years.

 

Britain's Christine Ohuruogu was banned for a year in 2006 after missing a series of out-of-competition tests before returning to win the world and Olympic 400 metres titles.

 

A number of the world's leading tennis players, led by Spain's Rafal Nadal and Britain's Andy Murray, have called the new rule "draconian" and the European Union have demanded it to be changed.

 

Under the rules of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), any sport that takes part in the Games must be fully compliant with the WADA code.

 

Jacques Rogge, the President of the IOC, has consistently backed the code, including the whereabouts rule.

 

There is growing support within cricket for a campaign to be launched for Twenty20 cricket to bid for inclusion in the 2020 Olympics - for which New Delhi is expected to be among the candidates - but its chances could be damaged badly by a row over drug-testing.

 

The BCCI is the richest and most powerful national governing body in cricket but a spokesman for the ICC insisted that they, like every other member, must observe the code, including the whereabouts rule.

 

He said: “It is the decision of the ICC’s Board of which the BCCI is a member."