Former CWG gold medallist and Assistant Commissioner Akhil Kumar raises awareness on drugs menace
Former Commonwealth Games gold medallist boxer Akhil Kumar, now serving as an Assistant Commissioner in Jhajjar Police, guided aspiring athletes on combating the issue of drug abuse during a recent interaction at Jawaharlal Bagh Stadium in Jhajjar.
Notably, in May 2020, Akhil Kumar was re-inducted into the National Anti-Doping Agency’s Disciplinary Panel. Earlier, he was also part of the panel from 2017 to 2019. The 43-year-old former boxer, who made it to the quarter-finals of the Beijing Olympics in 2008, interacted with over 100 athletes, including boxers on Friday, May 3.
During the event, Akhil emphasized the importance of staying vigilant against the threat of drug abuse. He advised athletes to inform their doctors of their athlete status during routine medical check-ups to avoid being prescribed banned substances.
"As an athlete and National Anti-Doping Agency panellist, I understand the menace. So, I offered them basic advice on how to steer clear. I told them that even during a routine medical check-up, they should inform the doctor that they are athletes so that they are not prescribed any banned drug," Akhil told PTI following the interaction with athletes.
"The youth trapped in drugs are not only ruining their careers. Rather, they are also dashing the expectations of the parents. Drunkenness has not benefited anyone, it only leads to downfall," he added.
"By falling into drug addiction, youth are not only destroying themselves, they are also destroying family,” he concluded.
Akhil Kumar was part of the Beijing Olympics 2008
Akhil, who attended the event in Jhajjar as a chief guest, was accompanied by Jhajjar traffic in-charge Naresh Sandhu, who counseled the gathering about traffic dos and don'ts.
Notably, Akhil is an Arjuna awardee and an Asian Championships bronze medallist at the 24th edition of the Men's Asian Amateur Boxing Championships in Mongolia in 2007.
During his prime, Akhil Kumar secured a win over the-then World No. 1 boxer and world champion Sergey Vodopyanov from Russia in the Round-of-16 encounter at the Beijing Olympics 2008.
Though he was 2-6 down in the second round of the bout, the score was tied at 9-9 by the end of the fourth round. Nevertheless, judges decided in Akhil’s favor as he landed a greater number of punches. However, his Olympic journey came to an end in the quarter-finals after losing to Veaceslav Gojan of Moldova.