Lok Sabha Question No. 127 (STARRED), answered on 2026-02-09
Subject: Nutritional Supplement Testing Referral Laboratories
Ministry: YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS
Asked by: Shri Brijmohan Agrawal

## Government of India Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports Department of Sports

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *127 TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.02.2026

## Nutritional Supplement Testing Referral Laboratories

- *127 . SHRI BRIJMOHAN AGRAWAL:

Will the Minister of YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS be pleased to state:

- (a) the manner in which the accreditation of the new labs at National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU), Gandhinagar and National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad  align  India's  anti-doping  infrastructure  with  World  AntiDoping Agency (WADA) norms;
- (b)  the  manner  in  which  the  Memorandum  of  Understanding  (MoU) between  M/o  Youth  Affairs and  Sports,  Food  Safety  and  Standards Authority  of  India  (FSSAI)  and  NFSU's  framework  is likely  to  ensure "Atmanirbhar" supplement testing to prevent inadvertent doping among athletes training for the 2030 major sport events like Commonwealth Games (CWG) Ahmedabad 2030 and Olympics;
- (c)  the  details  of  the  mechanisms  planned  to  extend  the  said  highquality  testing  protocols  with NFSU  Gandhinagar  designated  as  a Centre of Excellence to its campus in Raipur, Chhattisgarh to benefit the region's tribal sports talent;
- (d)  the  manner  in  which  establishing  indigenous  testing  facilities improve the global competitiveness of Indian products for international events like the 2030 Games; and
- (e) the manner in which the new FSSAI referral lab status is likely to help standardize nutritional supplements across States like

## Chhattisgarh by ensuring that rural athletes have access to safe and prohibited-substance-free products?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF YOUTH AFFAIRS & SPORTS [DR. MANSUKH MANDAVIYA]

## (a) to (e) A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) to (e) OF LOK SABHA STARRED  QUESTION  NO.  *127  TO  BE  ANSWERED  ON  09.02.2026 REGARDING 'NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENT TESTING REFERRAL LABORATORIES'  ASKED  BY  SHRI  BRIJMOHAN  AGRAWAL,  HON'BLE MEMBER OF LOK SABHA

- (a) The accreditation of Nutritional Supplement Testing Laboratories at the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU), Gandhinagar, and the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, strengthens India's anti-doping infrastructure in alignment with  World  Anti-Doping  Agency  (WADA)  norms.  These  laboratories, operating  in  compliance  with  ISO/IEC  17025:2017  standards,  enable quality-assured testing of nutritional supplements for WADA-prohibited substances,  thereby  enhancing  the  credibility  of  India's  anti-doping ecosystem and safeguarding clean sport.
- (b)  The  Memorandum  of  Understanding  (MoU)  among  the  Ministry  of Youth  Affairs  and  Sports  (MYAS),  the  Food  Safety  and  Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), and NFSU  establishes an integrated institutional framework for indigenous nutritional supplement testing. This  framework  supports  the  objective  of  'Atmanirbhar  Bharat'  by ensuring in-country, timely, and scientifically robust testing of supplements used by athletes, thereby reducing the risk of inadvertent doping in preparation for major international sporting events, including the  Commonwealth  Games  2030  and  the  Olympic  Games.  Domestic testing also prevents foreign exchange outflow and enhances confidence in Indian-manufactured supplements.
- (c) At present, the Nutritional Supplement Testing Laboratory at NFSU, Gandhinagar,  designated  as  a  Centre  of  Excellence  for  Nutritional Supplement Testing for Sportspersons (CoE-NSTS), is operational and caters  to  testing  requirements  from  all  States,  including  samples received from Raipur, Chhattisgarh. The  laboratory serves as a centralized facility ensuring uniform testing standards nationwide.
- (d) The establishment of indigenous, internationally compliant testing facilities enhances the global competitiveness and credibility of Indian nutritional supplement products. Compliance with ISO/IEC 17025:2017

and FSSAI standards ensures internationally accepted benchmarks of turn, certification timelines  and  costs,  and  enables  Indian  manufacturers  to  compete effectively  in  global  markets  associated  with  major  sporting  events

(e) The designation of the laboratory as an FSSAI Referral Laboratory provides a robust mechanism for standardizing the safety and quality of nutritional  supplements  across  States,  including  Chhattisgarh.  As  a referral  laboratory,  it  undertakes  confirmatory  testing  and  regulatory validation under FSSAI-notified standards. This framework ensures that athletes  in  rural  and  tribal  areas  have  access  to  safe,  reliable,  and uniform scientific safeguards across regions.

accuracy, traceability, and regulatory compliance. This, in promotes higher manufacturing standards, reduces such as the 2030 Commonwealth Games. prohibited-substance-free supplements, thereby extending

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