WADA suspends accreditation of NDTL for another six months

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has announced that it has suspended the accreditation of the National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL) in New Delhi for another six months.

The suspension, which began on July 17, prohibits the NDTL from carrying out any anti-doping activities, including all analyses of urine and blood samples.

"During the period of suspension, if the laboratory satisfies the LabEG in meeting the requirements, it may apply for reinstatement prior to the expiry of the six-month suspension period," said WADA on Tuesday.

"Should the laboratory not address the non-conformities by the end of the six-month suspension period, WADA may extend the suspension of the laboratory's accreditation for up to an additional six months," it added.

An original six-month suspension was imposed on NDTL in August 2019 due to non-conformities with the International Standard for Laboratories (ISL) identified during a WADA site visit, including in relation to the laboratory's isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC/C/IRMS) analytical method, as regulated by the relevant WADA Technical Document (TD2016IRMS).

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 based on the outstanding non-conformities.

The NDTL may now appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport within three weeks of receipt of notice.