Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju Disappointed Over WADA’s Suspension of NDTL, Promises to Appeal

The decision of WADA doesn't prevent India's National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) to collect samples from athletes.

Union Minister of Sports and Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju expressed his disappointment over the decision of World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) to suspend the National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL) in Delhi for six months. NDTL was the only WADA-accredited laboratory in the country.

“There were some issues in the past. After taking over as Sports Minister, I have taken cognizance of those issues and a course correction has been initiated. It is disheartening that despite these efforts, WADA has taken this stance. We will appeal against this ban and the process of appeal is already underway,” Raijiju was quoted as saying by IANS.

However, the decision of WADA doesn’t prevent India’s National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) to collect samples from athletes. But the tests will have to be done in a WADA-accredited lab only and it remains to be seen how NADA go through their work from here on.

WADA has stated clear that if there was anyone to blame for the suspension it is NDTL. “This suspension has been imposed due to non-conformities with the International Standard for Laboratories (ISL) as identified during a WADA site visit. The suspension, which took effect on 20 August 2019, prohibits the NDTL from carrying out any anti-doping activities, including all analyses of urine and blood samples,” the international agency said in their official press release.

Meanwhile, it was also clarified that NDTL can appeal the decision in the court of Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) “within 21 days of receipt of notice”. The national laboratory has been advised to address all non-confirmities during the period of suspension. It will then be reassessed by WADA’s Laboratory Expert Group (LabEG), which initiated the disciplinary proceedings, and if they feel satisfied they may apply for reinstatement prior to the expiry of the six-month suspension period.”