National sports doping lab under probation: Aiyar

The sports ministry has set up a National Dope Test Laboratory, which is under probation for World Anti-Doping Agency accreditation.

The sports ministry has set up a National Dope Test Laboratory (NDTL) and it is at present under probation for World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) accreditation, Sports Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar told the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

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In a written reply to a question by NSV Chitthan, Aiyar said that the government is a signatory to the Copenhagen Declaration against doping in sports and follows the WADA guidelines to deal with doping in sports.

"The government of India has set up the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA), which is the nodal agency for test planning, result management and outreach programmes relating to anti-doping in the country," he said.

"The government has also set up a NDTL, which is at present under probation for WADA accreditation."

Aiyar, however, did not mention the time frame of the probation.

Doping is a huge problem not only in India but also around the globe and the WADA, an independent arm of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), is the apex body formed to check drug menace in sports.