India’s first dietary supplement testing center to be set up in Ahmedabad to combat doping

The ministry will set up India’s first dietary supplement testing facility at the National Forensic Science University (NFSU), Ahmedabad, to curb the menace of doping in the country. After the three-day World Seminar on Doping, the Sports Ministry, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and NFSU signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Saturday to set up a testing facility.

According to a release from the Press Information Office, “The presence of undeclared ingredients in the diet is a matter of serious concern.As of now, there is no testing facility available in India to ensure the absence of ‘Prohibited Substances’ in the diet. A major step has been taken today to build a testing facility from (NFSU). This MoU will help in achieving this objective.

The list of banned substances is quite extensive and includes a wealth of information on both medicinal and non-medicinal substances. India is hoping to become a leader in this field with such a testing facility. Sports Minister Anurag Thakur said, “This MoU will benefit athletes and their allies by educating and spreading awareness about unintentional doping due to banned substances present in nutritional supplements.” This facility being set up in the U.S. will help stakeholders not only in the country but across the region.” According to the WADA report published in December last year, India ranks third after Russia and Italy in doping.