S.Kannan
India’s anti-doping campaign has taken a big hit during the last six months. The reasons for it are very simple, less testing because of the COVID-19 pandemic and India’s own laboratory, the National Dope Testing Laboratory, under extended suspension till January 2021.
It was interesting to hear what sports minister Kiren Rijiju said on Wednesday after his video conference interaction with the World Anti Doping Agency. He claimed the Delhi lab had now become fully compliant with all the points raised by the WADA when it was suspended first last year.
Agreed, there were close to 50 points which needed rectification and attention in the lab. In fact, the NDTL had become a mess and lack of scientific officers and lack of its own autonomy had made matters worse over a period of time.
Appointments were not done on time last year, blame for which can be taken by senior babus in the sports ministry. The results were disastrous and the lab’s accreditation from the WADA was suspended.
Going into the Olympic year, it was important the New Delhi lab was in top shape last year. However, once the suspension happened, the NDTL still did not wake up. Corrections were not carried out and the irksome IRMS machine/equipment (Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry) was never set right.
The officials then involved tried Indian jugaad, which did not work. So, in July 2020, again, the suspension period was extended. What it has done is made many Indian athletes carefree and limited dope testing has resulted in more drug abuse. Athletes at even Khelo India level, which is the juniors, have been involved in dope abuse. It is worrying, to say the least.
Back to sports minister Kiren Rijiju inviting the WADA to inspect the NDTL and find out how all changes/corrections have been done. In the first place, he should not have been canvassing for this as the NDTL is supposed to be an independent lab. If last year he made a mess of the whole issue by saying it would be sorted in few months, he is being overzealous again.
At least two newspapers have written to WADA and the feedback has been they will do the inspection at the right time. The “right time” is going to be indefinite and unspecified as commercial international flights are not allowed into India, as yet. In the past, when labs overseas had been suspended, they went through the process called patience. Not ministers making calls and pestering WADA.
Perhaps, this sports minister still does not understand the seriousness and the in which WADA functions. They are very tough and need no prompting when it comes to matters under their domain.
The minister would have done to explain how the NDTL dealt with the IRMS equipment. Sources said the machine has been replaced with a new one, which means crores of the tax payers’ money has been coughed up.
There is no accountability whatsoever and how does one know if this IRMS machine is capable of showing correct readings of samples tested. After all, the previous machine was wrongly detecting the levels of substances (steroids). The end result was samples cleared by the NDTL when tested abroad were showing different results.
If India’s campaign for the postponed Tokyo Olympics has already been slowed down because of the pandemic, the NDTL being under suspension makes matters worse. The number of dope test samples being sent abroad is far less.
For the record, when a lab loses its accreditation or gets suspended, the fresh certification is even more laborious. It is not like make a call to WADA and pray problems are going to be over in a few weeks. Sadly, India does not have the required knowledge and personnel for dealing with a sensitive lab like the NDTL.
Crores of rupees were spent on it a decade ago and this government can take the blame for the present mess. When the NDTL became functional in 2009, it was India’s pride. Today, it is a project gone wrong.
