All the participants of the 3-day All-India National Kabaddi Championship beginning on Thursday at Motilal Nehru School of Sports, Rai, in district Sonepat will have to undergo dope test.
A centre of the National Anti-Doping Agency has been set up at the venue for conducting the dope test of the participants.
In all, 12 teams would participate in this championship which is being held to commemorate the memory of Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya. While four teams will be of professional category, the eight teams would be of national senior level.
The cash awards would not be given away to athletes who test positive for doping, and in case two or more players of a team test positive for doping, the team would not be given cash award respectively.
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar lal alongwith Sports Minister Anil Vij on Wednesday unveiled the trophy of the championship.
The winning team would get highest ever cash prize of Rs 1 crore whereas the teams getting second and third places would be awarded Rs 50 lakh and Rs 25 lakh respectively.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister said that the State Government had organized a wrestling championship recently and now it has been decided to organize a Kabaddi championship with highest ever prize money.
He said that the State Government wanted to make Haryana a sports hub and this Kabaddi championship is a step forward in this direction.
This championship would not only provide an opportunity for the sportspersons to exhibit their talent but the people, especially the youth of the nearby areas would be able to enjoy this event, he added.
The inaugural match of the championship will be between the teams of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.
All arrangements for boarding and lodging of the participants have been made. Cultural programmes would also be organized during all these three days for the entertainment of the people, said he.
Only those athletes who weigh 85 kgs or less would be eligible to participate in the competition.
The championship would be inaugurated by Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, Vijay Goel, whereas Haryana Chief Minister Manohar lal would grace the closing ceremony. Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki would be the chief guest on February 10.
The semi-final and final matches would be held on February 11.