India (Commonwealth) _ A para-athlete who tested positive for a banned chemical has attributed her test failure to a tainted supplement that had the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) “mark” on it. An out-of-competition test conducted on March 30 in Bhopal revealed that para-canoe athlete Rajni Jha tested positive for methyl testosterone, a non-specified forbidden drug.
She admitted using dietary supplements and the whey protein Nitro 100 in her doping control form. Interestingly, according to the July 19 nutritional supplement report from the National Doping Test Laboratory (NDTL), methyltestosterone, a prohibited substance found in the sample taken from her, was found in the leftover supplements and sealed packs of the same batch when tested at the NDTL upon her request.
Rajni used the NADA and FSSAI partnership to guarantee the “safety of dietary supplements” as support for her claims. She informed the Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel (ADDP) that “the mark gave comfort and trust that the product ‘Nitro Whey 100’ (which was found contaminated) was safe and dope free.”
As the whey protein package was “FSSAI approved,” her attorney Parth Goswami contended, the athlete had no cause to question the product’s legitimacy.
The ADDP determined that the athlete was “negligent” even though she had not “intentionally” taken the illegal drug and it had entered her body through the tainted substance. A 12-month suspension was imposed on her.
“Before purchasing and ingesting food supplements, the athlete should have exercised care and caution by speaking with a physician or sports nutritionist,” said the panel.
Has the athlete done any investigation to find out if the product she was purchasing was approved by the FSSAI or if the package stated a phony logo? The order dated August 3 states that there is no documentation in the file indicating that the athlete has ever conducted research of this nature.
“WADA has been urging athletes not to use these nutritional supplements; it has never recommended their usage. The panel stated, “WADA states that athletes take these dietary supplements at their own risk and are accountable in the event of a positive dope test.
In an urgent hearing, the panel of the Anti-Doping Appeal also supported the panel’s conclusion.
Rajni was devastated to learn that she will be unable to compete in the Paralympic Games in Paris beginning on Wednesday. Not only did she test negative in a follow-up test conducted in May, but it was insufficient.
2019 saw NADA and FSSAI begin working together. The Food for Special Dietary Use (FSDU) emblem is designated by FSSAI for use by manufacturers, allowing athletes to recognize the insignia on the bottle or container.
As an athlete, the safety measures you take when purchasing are to look for the government-approved mark (FSSAI), purchase from a reputable retailer, read the product labels and descriptions, and at most conduct an online search. Whose fault is it, if the material is contaminated? I never received that response from anybody. “I gave up on my goal of competing in the Paralympic Games,” Rajni, 34, said to media.
“I’ve participated in NADA’s instructional program. They provide us with information on medications. The FSDU mark has never been explained to us. This was explained to me in the panel. Upon searching the internet for FSDU markings, I discovered that there is just one company’s supplement and that it is not readily available everywhere. And how is an athlete going to determine what is correct, incorrect, or redundant?
“A lot of athletes use supplements with the FSSAI label. Why does NADA not inquire about tainted chemicals from the FSSAI when they collaborate with them?
Athletes frequently utilize dietary supplements, but many might not be aware of the possibility of inadvertent doping, especially given that supplements are sometimes tainted with illegal drugs. It’s common knowledge that athletes utilize nutritional supplements extensively in an effort to improve their performance or general health.
But a lot of athletes rely on dubious sources for information, and they frequently don’t know about dietary supplement laws. This narrative review aims to investigate the state of the art studies on psychological dimensions (such as norms, attitudes, and beliefs) associated with athletes’ usage of nutritional supplements that may result in unintentional doping. Possible program architectures that might be useful in preventing unintentional doping are also covered in this review.
