WADA suspends New Delhi lab over test

Facility is barred from conducting any anti-doping tests for up to six months

MONTREAL: The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has suspended the accreditation of the National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL) in New Delhi, barring the facility from conducting any anti-doping tests for up to six months.

The suspension, which took effect on August 20, was imposed due to non-conformities with the International Standard for Laboratories, the global anti-doping body said Thursday.

The irregularities, identified during a site visit by WADA, included some in relation to the lab's Isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC/C/IRMS) analytical method.

After WADA's laboratory expert group recommended disciplinary proceedings in May, a disciplinary committee recommended the suspension.

While the lab is suspended samples that have not yet been analyzed by the lab, samples undergoing a confirmation test and any samples that have returned an adverse result must be securely transported to another WADA-accredited laboratory for testing.

"This is in order to ensure continued high-quality sample analysis, which also helps preserve athletes' confidence in this process and the wider anti-doping system," WADA said in a statement.

The laboratory can appeal the suspension or apply for reinstatement before six months have passed if it has addressed non-conforming procedures.