'Made a huge contribution to Indian cricket': Ratnakar Shetty recalls Dr. Vece Paes’ role in BCCI's two crucial programs

Dr Vece Paes

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Poll What aspect of Dr. Vece Paes' contribution do you think had the most impact on Indian cricket? Anti-Doping Programs Age Verification Methods Educational Initiatives Overall Sports Development

MUMBAI: Dr Vece Paes, a member of the Indian hockey team that won bronze in the 1972 Munich Olympics, father of tennis ace Leander Paes , who passed away in Kolkata on Thursday at the age of 80, enjoyed fruitful stints in the Board of Control for Cricket in India ( BCCI ) and the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) too.For almost a decade, he was heading the two most crucial departments of the BCCI - age verification and anti-doping. He was the head of the sports science department of the BCCI. At that time, he was based out of Mumbai, before moving to Kolkata after his retirement from the BCCI in 2018.Paying a rich tribute to Dr Paes, veteran cricket administrator Prof Ratnakar Shetty, who served as the Chief Administrative officer of the BCCI for almost 15 years till his retirement in 2018, told TOI, "Dr Paes made a huge contribution to BCCI handling the anti-doping and age verification departments for almost a decade. He introduced educational programs for anti-doping. The BCCI will always be grateful to Dr Paes.“I had the honour of working with Dr Paes at the BCCI. He was a great human being and gave his best to the BCCI. May his soul rest in peace." Incidentally, both Dr Paes and Prof Shetty retired after a long innings with the BCCI on the same day - March 31, 2018.After the BCCI adopted the WADA code in 2009 and started testing cricketers in domestic cricket in 2012, Paes teamed up with Dr Abhijit Salvi, who later became the BCCI's chief medical officer to look after the BCCI's anti-doping and age verification program.Throwing light on Dr Paes’ elaborate stint in the BCCI, Shetty said, “Dr Paes was involved with the age verification process of the BCCI from 2008 and in 2010, he was appointed as the Anti Doping Consultant (of the BCCI) as every ICC member had to prepare the Anti-Doping code which was to be approved by the ICC. Dr Paes was in charge of the implementation of the Anti-doping Code of the BCCI - an assignment he handled till he retired in March 2018. ”By introducing the TW3 method for age verification, Dr Paes devised an effective mechanism to tackle and curb the menace of age fraud in Indian cricket at the junior level, Shetty said.“The BCCI had to deal with a number of complaints on over-age players in age group tournaments and the bone tests we followed were not conclusive. Dr. Paes introduced the TW3 method for age verification and the BCCI decided that all players would have to undergo TW3 at the entry point of age group tournaments which was under-16 age.He worked meticulously and the BCCI age-verification process had the backing of the courts for providing a level playing field for age-group tournaments,” recalled Shetty.Throwing light on how Dr Paes spearheaded the BCCI's anti-doping program and involved the greats Of Indian cricket during the drive, Shetty said, “As the Anti Doping Consultant, he framed the educational programs which were compulsory for all players participating in the BCCI tournaments and he got (MS) Dhoni, Sachin (Tendulkar) and Rahul (Dravid) to speak on the video for anti-doping education.“Dr Paes will always be remembered for his contribution to the BCCI and Indian cricket at large. May his soul rest in eternal peace,” the seasoned administrator concluded.Expressing his grief at the passing away of Dr Paes, Sundar Iyer, Secretary of Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association, said, “Today began with terrible news, the passing away of Dr. Vece Paes, a great human being and gentleman. Doctor was more than family and every moment spent with him added to knowledge. He was instrumental in our Vision program and he travelled with us to the interiors of Maharashtra to spread his wisdom and knowledge through workshops, he inspired so many of our players, we started our sports science center inspired by him and he inaugurated it , his name is etched in the wall of MSLTA forever and in our hearts and minds till we leave. ”

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