2-Dec-2022: National Anti-Doping Agency of India is developing App to assist athletes verify medicines

“All aspects of the anti-doping programme are important even as India is making rapid strides towards excellence in sport. NADA would make all attempts to spread awareness towards making Indian sport, including sport for Athletes with Disabilities, dope-free.” Secretary (Sports), Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, Government of India Smt. Sujata Chaturvedi said this while delivering the keynote address at the Inclusion Conclave conducted by the National Anti-Doping Agency India (NADA) today in New Delhi. Inclusion Conclave was attended by participants from India and 20 countries.

Speaking on the occasion Secretary Sports Smt. Sujata Chaturvedi said that it is a good time to be in Indian sport, where under the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s leadership, initiatives like Khelo India have given sport a fillip. “We cannot ignore anti-doping while striving for excellence in sport. The National Anti-Doping Act is a step in that direction”, she said.

Mr. Shombi Sharp, United Nations Resident Coordinator, India also addressed the gathering. “The inclusion of persons with disabilities is a central promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development - to leave no one behind,” he said. He further added “Indian athletes with disabilities have not only shown incredible grit and determination by beating all the odds - they have also brought - and continue to bring - great pride to the nation.”

NADA Director-General and CEO Ritu Sain said the Conclave was a step towards ensuring that anti-doping program is inclusive and athletes with disabilities remain at core and are not left behind.

 “We have to reach out to the Athletes with Disabilities keeping their needs in mind. Engaging them with content in print, audio, Braille and sign language in keeping with Universal Design of Learning (UDL) principles is a priority,” she said.

Ms. Sain said NADA India is in process of sensitising 20 Dope Control Officers to specialise in collecting samples of Athletes with Disabilities in keeping with the different needs. She also said NADA would equip itself with assistive devices in Doping control process to facilitate athletes with disabilities in lines with the World Anti-Doping Code and Standards.

She said NADA India is developing Apps to spread awareness and address queries of athletes and support personnel as well as to help them recognise if any medicine they were being prescribed contains prohibited substances. “We are developing credible content that will overcome geographical, language and disability barriers,” she said.

Tokyo2020 Paralympics High Jump medal winner Sharad Kumar shared his experience of serving a two-year ban for an inadvertent anti-doping violation. He said the levels of education of Athletes with Disabilities prevented many from taking short cuts. “The anti-doping lessons are best learnt from the experience of those who tested positive,” he said.

Sharad Kumar also said that athletes who dope must realise that it leaves an impact on their bodies and minds. “Those who dope and have not tested positive cannot think they have escaped. They are guilty in their own minds and caught in their own trap,” he said, exhorting athletes not to chase popularity and rewards at the risk of their own health.

Institute of National Anti-Doping Organisations (iNADO) CEO Jorge Leyva, Asian Paralympic Committee Anti-Doping Sub-Committee Chairman Dr. Badrul Rashid, University of Birmingham’s Prof. Ian Bradley and International Inclusion and Para Sports expert Dr. Halim Jebali headline the panelists from overseas also joined an array of Indian experts.

3-Apr-2022: Shri Anurag Singh Thakur launches new rare chemical Reference Materials to strengthen anti-doping testing

In a breakthrough achievement, the National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL) has indigenously developed six new and rare Reference Materials (RMs), which is the purest form of chemical required for anti-doping analysis in all WADA-accredited Laboratories across the world. The six RMs have been developed in less than a year by NDTL in association with the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER)-Guwahati and the CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM), Jammu.

The RMs were launched by the Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Shri Anurag Singh Thakur during the 15th Governing Body Meeting of NDTL, in the presence of Sports Secretary Smt. Sujata Chaturvedi and other senior officials of the Sports Ministry.

With the creation of these RMs NDTL has earned itself the recognition of being one of the few labs in the world where such RMs have been developed. Speaking about the achievement, Shri. Thakur said, “I applaud the scientists of the three institutions who have worked tirelessly to create these Reference Materials. These Reference Materials are not readily available across the world but are needed by every WADA-accredited laboratory for their anti-doping analysis. India itself has been importing RMs from Canada and Australia, however, with this scientific development India has indeed taken a step towards Atmanirbhar Bharat, which is the vision of Prime Minister Shri. Narendra Modi ji, in the field of anti-doping science. Very soon, we will also be exporting these RMs to other countries.”

Shri Thakur further added, “The availability of these rare Reference Materials would help the entire anti-doping community to strengthen their testing capabilities and usher in an era of mutual co-operation among countries for promoting fair play in sports policy world over.”

The research for these Reference Materials started last year when NDTL signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with both the national scientific organizations in order to indigenously synthesise and develop 20 such Reference Materials of prohibited substances, in a phased manner, over a period of 2-3 years. These R&D activities between NDTL & NIPER-G and CSIR-IIIM, Jammu have been undertaken with the active support and funding of the Government of India.                                                

Out of the six Reference Materials launched, three each were synthesized in collaboration with NIPER-Guwahati and CSIR-IIIM, Jammu. Last year too, scientists of NDTL and NIPER-Guwahati succeeded in synthesizing two indigenously developed rare Reference Materials in 2021 which were launched and shared with fellow WADA- Accredited Laboratories.

The launch of these Reference Materials will ensure improved anti-doping testing which is in line with the Sports Ministry’s commitment towards promotion and effective implementation of anti-doping programmes in the country with the sole objective of fair play in sports.

23-Dec-2021: National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL) regains the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) accreditation

The National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL) has regained the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) accreditation. NDTL has been informed by WADA that its accreditation has been restored. With this, NDTL’s Anti-Doping testing and activities will be resumed with immediate effect.

This was announced by the Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Shri Anurag Thakur in a tweet today. Shri Thakur mentioned in his tweet that the restoration of accreditation is a boost to India’s efforts to achieve the highest global standards of excellence in sport.

The team of officers and staff at NDTL has also worked tirelessly to get the accreditation restored. NDTL’s WADA accreditation was suspended on 20 August 2019, based on non-compliances which were observed during on-site assessment of the Laboratory held in September 2018.  WADA, on its part has been providing continuous guidance and support to make NDTL’s processes and methodologies fully compliant with the latest version of International Standard for Laboratories (ISL) and with the WADA Technical Documents, 2021.

Consequently, NDTL has made rapid strides, and now its facilities are fully geared to be at par with the peer-WADA accredited labs across the globe. In its continuous efforts to excel, NDTL has been collaborating with the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) Guwahati and the CSIR-IIIM Jammu for research in Anti-Doping Science. NDTL has also been collaborating with other WADA accredited laboratories for strengthening its research activities and anti-doping efforts.

Government is also keen to establish and recognize more Dope Testing Laboratories in the country.  Such laboratories will strengthen the capability for testing a greater number of samples. considering the sizable population and growing number of sportspersons in the country. These will also facilitate India to host mega sports events in the country.

The National Anti-Doping Bill 2021, introduced in the Parliament on 17 December 2021, is another step in India’s quest to become a sporting powerhouse.

7-Dec-2020: India to provide all support to World Anti-Doping Agency to ensure integrity of sport

Union Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports , Shri Kiren Rijiju inaugurated a webinar on Anti-Doping and Sports Science on Monday, which was jointly organized by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA), National Sports University (NSU) and National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL).

Also present in the virtual meeting were Mr. Witold Banka, President, World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA);Suniel Shetty, Brand Ambassador, NADA; Shri Ravi Mital, Secretary (Sports); Shri RC Mishra, Vice Chancellor, NSU and Shri Navin Agarwal, DG & CEO, NADA.

Shri Rijiju affirmed to the WADA chief that India would support all efforts to ensure clean sport. “Mr. Banka, I am happy to hear from you that India’s contribution to WADA will be utilised toward anti-doping research and strengthening the investigative capabilities of the anti-doping community. India stands firmly for fair play and clean sport, and we shall support all efforts to ensure the integrity of sport,” the Sports Minister said.

Shri Rijiju also mentioned that the NADA is committed in its efforts to get rid of the doping menace and is implementing all the anti-doping rules as laid by the WADA. “I am happy to say that NADA India is committed to dope free sports and continues its ongoing support to the sports fraternity to get rid of the doping menace. It has been adopting and implementing anti-doping rules and policies, which conform to the latest World Anti-Doping Code and international standards,” Shri Rijiju added. Sports Minister also assured the WADA President that NDTL has taken corrective measures on various points suggested by WADA, and hoped that it would soon be allowed to resume dope analysis, as per WADA guidelines.

Actor Suniel Shetty and Brand Ambassador, NADA, praised the initiative saying constant webinars on this topic would help improve the athletes. “I’m so happy for this webinar on anti-doping and I wish we have continuous webinars like this to discuss this topic. This will help our athletes in the long run.”

10-Aug-2019: Indian cricket board has agreed to come under the ambit of the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA)

Ending an impasse that has dragged for close to a decade, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) agreed to come under the ambit of the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA). It means all cricketers, without exception, will now be tested for banned and performance enhancing drugs by NADA, like any other Indian athlete.

The Union Sports Ministry agreed to grant NOCs for visas to visiting teams after the cricket board decided to follow “all laws notified by the Government of India”, including the country’s anti-doping norms.

World Anti-Doping Agency’s Article 5.2.1 states that all athletes who compete in the country will be tested by the country’s anti-doping agency. Laws are the same for everyone and all cricketers, like other athletes, will be tested by NADA.