CHENNAI: The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has extended the suspension of the National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL) by another six months citing non-conformities with international standards.
The NDTL was first suspended for six months in August 2019. A fresh inspection revealed that the non-conformities still existed. The second six-month suspension began on July 17.
"WADA has suspended the accreditation of the National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL) in New Delhi, India, for the second period of up to six months," said the world body in a statement. The suspension prohibits the NDTL from carrying out any anti-doping activities, including all analyses of urine and blood samples.
Sports minister Kiren Rijiju said that the technical problems are being addressed now. "WADA served suspension notice before I took over as Chairman of National Dope Testing Laboratory. The rules of revoking its accreditation after 6 months suspension are avoided by extending the suspension period because all technical problems are being addressed now," Rijiju tweeted.
Non-conformities with the International Standard for Laboratories (ISL) identified during the WADA site visit last year included the laboratory’s isotope ratio mass spectrometry. In February 2020, when the six-month suspension period elapsed and some outstanding non-conformities had not been addressed successfully, WADA’s Laboratory Expert Group (LabEG) recommended the initiation of further disciplinary proceedings against the laboratory.
"These disciplinary proceedings were carried out by an independent Disciplinary Committee that was mandated to make a recommendation to the Chair of the WADA Executive Committee regarding the status of the NDTL’s accreditation, while the laboratory remained suspended. The disciplinary process is now complete and the second six-month suspension began on 17 July 2020," said WADA's statement.
Pursuant to Article 13.7 of the World Anti-Doping Code, the NDTL may appeal this decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport within 21 days of receipt of the notice.