Rise in tests good but athletes responsible for what they consume
The good news is that India has once again increased the number of dope tests. According to a Rajya Sabha report, National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) tested 4,260 samples in 2022 as against 1,954 in 2021. The number of dope cheats—123—is decidedly alarming. At 2.88% of the samples tested, it is very high, though testing is yet to reach the peak of 2015 (5,162). NADA has shown that the fight against doping is real.
From top athletes to the grassroots level, everyone has to undergo testing. However, there seems to be an alarming trend in athletes’ defence—contaminated supplements. Recent high-profile dope cases like that of javelin thrower Shivpal Singh (whose ban was reduced from four years to one), discus thrower Kamalpreet Kaur (Athletics Integrity Unit did not give any reprieve), quarter-miler M R Poovamma, and even gymnast Dipa Karmakar (banned for a plant-based substance) are blaming it on contaminated products.
Most athletes also argue that they “exercise due care and caution before taking the supplement, and check labels, certifications”. There have been instances when hearing panels have considered this while reducing bans. Supplements are available everywhere. There are dedicated supplement shops and websites. They are easily available online as well and they come in all forms. How much caution an athlete can exercise depends on individual choice. Elite athletes are surely aware of such products in the market. How careful they are while using them is their personal call.
There have been debates about regulatory mechanisms to control supplements, especially harmful ones. Yet, across the world, there is hardly any regulation. In the US, they have an external agency to look into supplements, but even they say ultimately, the athletes are responsible for what they consume. In India, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is the regulatory agency, and there was a buzz that, in consultation with NADA, some regulation was being mulled.
In any case, testing supplements is not NADA’s job. It can, at best, educate athletes on what to consume and avoid through seminars and discussions. That information ought to be part of their website. Even the National Dope Testing Laboratory cannot test supplements unless asked by NADA’s hearing panel or any other relevant authority. One thing is sure, regulation or otherwise, it is ultimately the responsibility of the athlete to decide on what they want to ingest.