WADA Suspends New Delhi Laboratory

The World Anti-Doping Agency, WADA, has suspended the National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL) in New Delhi, India, for a period of up to six months. The laboratory has lost its accreditation resulting from non-conformities with the International Standard for Laboratories (ISL),  including in relation to the laboratory’s isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC/C/IRMS) analytical method as identified by WADA during a site visit.

The National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL) in New Delhi, India, has been suspended for a period of up to six months. The penalty results from non-conformities with the International Standard for Laboratories (ISL), including in relation to the laboratory’s isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC/C/IRMS) analytical method. Earlier this month, WADA lifted the partial suspension on the Doping Control Laboratory at the Karolinska University Hospital located in Stockholm, Sweden, which had been partially suspended for similar reasons.

Disciplinary proceedings were initiated by WADA’s Laboratory Expert Group (LabEG) in May of this year and later implemented by an independent Disciplinary Committee. The Committee was mandated to make a recommendation to the Chair of the WADA Executive Committee regarding the status of the laboratory’s accreditation. Per WADA, this process is now complete.

The suspension, which came into effect on August 20th, 2019, forbids the NDTL from carrying out any anti-doping activities, including all testing of urine and blood samples.

During the suspension period, samples that haven’t yet been analyzed by the NDTL must be securely transported to another WADA-accredited laboratory. These include samples that are currently undergoing a confirmation procedure or any samples for which an adverse analytical finding has been reported in order to ensure continued high-quality sample analysis, also helping preserve athletes’ confidence in this process and the wider anti-doping system.

Throughout the period of suspension, the laboratory must address all non-conformities identified by the LabEG or WADA in any request for corrective action or otherwise, as well as any additional non-conformities identified during any follow-up site visit by WADA during the period of suspension.

According to WADA, if the laboratory meets the established requirements it may apply for reinstatement prior to the end of the six-month suspension period. On the contrary, if the laboratory doesn’t address these non-conformities by the end of the six-month suspension period, WADA may extend the laboratory’s accreditation’s suspension for up to an additional six months.