BCCI request clarity over ongoing tussle between NADA and WADA

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) CEO Rahul Johri penned a letter to Director General & Chief Executive Officer of the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) where he asked for clarity in the ongoing tussle between the national body and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). The international body has suspended the National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL) for six months.

"It has come to our attention through media reports that NDTL has been suspended by WADA for a period of six (6) months owing to "non-conformities with the International Standard for Laboratories (ISL) as identified during a WADA site visit. 

"We request you to kindly let us know how this suspension will affect samples collected by NADA at BCCI domestic cricket tournaments. Since NDTL is unable to test the samples of our cricketers, what is the way forward to ensure a strict chain of custody and timely analysis of all samples," Johri wrote in a letter accessed by IANS. 

On Friday, the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) claimed that they had taken note of the turn of events with regards to WADA's suspension of NDTL for a period of six months. The committee also added that they are looking at the alternatives as NDTL can't test samples anymore.

As per the suspension policy, NADA is still allowed to collect samples from sportspersons, but the tests can't be done at NDTL and need to be done at a WADA-accredited laboratory. NDTL was the only WADA-accredited lab in the country.

The development came as a big blow after WADA made it clear that the lab is to be blamed for the suspension. WADA also clarified that the NDTL can appeal the decision in the Court of Arbitration for Sports "within 21 days of receipt of notice".

"This suspension has been imposed due to non-conformities with the International Standard for Laboratories (ISL) as identified during a WADA site visit. The suspension, which took effect on 20 August 2019, prohibits the NDTL from carrying out any anti-doping activities, including all analyses of urine and blood samples.

"During the period of suspension, samples that have not yet been analyzed by the NDTL; samples currently undergoing a confirmation procedure; and any samples for which an Adverse Analytical Finding has been reported, must be securely transported to another WADA-accredited laboratory," WADA said in a press release on Thursday.