First Governing General Body Meeting

The government on Monday 05/01/09 approved Rs 10 crore to enhance the annual testing capacity of the National Dope Test Laboratory (NDTL) and make it one of the world’s leading dope testing laboratories.

The decision was taken by Sports Minister M S Gill, who chaired the first meeting of the NDTL’s General Body and Governing Body.

At present, NDTL is testing around 2,000 samples annually, which is proposed to be enhanced to 3,000 in the current calendar year 2009 as per WADA norms, and which is to be further enhanced to 5,000 samples in 2010.

Several other decisions were taken in the meeting, which include the approval of recruitment rules for 18 newly created posts of scientific and administrative staff; approval of tariff structure for the testing of samples and also introducing EPO, blood and growth hormone testing in NDTL.

Gill emphasised the need for coordinated efforts between NDTL, National Anti Doping Agency (NADA), Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and the National Sports Federations for promoting clean sports in India.

Additional staff and equipment for this purpose were also approved by the Governing Body, after taking into account the requirement of EPO, blood and growth hormone testing, which WADA has recently mandated all accredited labs to achieve by the end of 2009.