Olympian wrestler Ritika Hooda and middle distance runner Jasmine Kaur have tested positive and are reported to have claimed that the banned substance in their sample is the result of consumption of contaminated nutritional supplements. They are not the first Indian athletes to make such claims.
Last year, Para Canoe athlete Rajni Jha proved to a National Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel that the supplement (Nitro Whey 100) she consumed was contaminated and the source of Methyltestosterone. By a 2-1 majority decision, an ADAP confirmed the one-year ban that saw her miss the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
Javelin Thrower Shivpal Singh’s ban for his first offence was reduced from four years to one after a National Anti-Doping Appeal Panel (ADAP) accepted that the supplement, Prime Testo Booster, he had consumed was contaminated with Metandienone.
Come to think of it, adjudicating Shivpal Singh’s case, an ADAP with Abhinav Mukherji in the chair and with Dr. Vivek Singh and Prashanti Singh, had directed NADA to take steps proactively and to collaborate with appropriate regulatory agencies to prosecute and curb the menace of fake/contaminated supplements flooding the market.
A proper investigation may reveal that many of these products are being imported illegally and are made available to gullible – and, in some cases, willing – athletes. The investigation may even end up showing how contamination is deliberately done, just to prove to athletes that these products help them deliver better results.
On Tuesday, Uttar Pradesh Police uncovered a fake supplement manufacturing unit in Muzaffarnagar and seized goods worth Rs 2 crore, including fake protein and Omega-3 capsules, raw material and forged packaging with Made in USA, Made in Japan and Made in Russia labels.
However, one-off raids do not seem to worry those in the field. Reports from Muzaffarnagar suggest that the two men arrested on Tuesday had operated a similar ‘factory’ earlier. It is not as if they are the only ones who have been arrested in Muzaffarnagar for such offences. There have been search and seizure operations earlier, most recently in Noida.
Some possible solutions
It is time for the Indian Olympic Association to initiate a study on sports nutrition supplements in the country. The chances are that such a study in India will find that a higher percentage of nutritional supplements would contain prohormones not declared on the label than the 14.8 per cent in the International Olympic Committee-funded study in Europe in 2000-01.
Such a study may also make Government agencies sit up and take note of the rampant, unregulated growth of the sports nutrition supplement industry in India. Whistleblowers will most certainly point out to homes where dubious supplements are made and attractively packaged to look like they have been imported.
Since testing a product for banned substances may cost an athlete in the region of Rs 10,000 per container, many will find it tough to have the supplements tested before consuming them. Rajni Jha, for instance, believed that the presence of the Food Safety Standards Association of India logo on the packaging ensures that the label can be trusted to be accurate.
Documents accessed by circleofsport.com have revealed that between June 2024 and January 2025, NDTL reported the detection of presence of Methyltestosterone in samples of Nitro Whey and Testo Matrik, Testosterone in Base Whey Protein and Ostarine in GNC Pro Performance. These tests were on samples from both unsealed and sealed product packaging.
Shockingly, in November last year, while testing for methyltestosterone in samples of Testo Matrix capsules, NDTL detected the presence of seven other banned substances – DHT Prohormone, Testosterone, Methandienone, 4-OH-Testosterone, 6b-OH-Methandienone, Oxymetholone and Stanozolol.
Regulation of supplement industry assumes great importance
There can be no doubt that India needs to regulate the supplement market, especially the section that depends on imports. There are dime a dozen supplement stores, selling dreams, across neighborhoods in each city and town. Worse, there are some who insist that made to order supplements are manufactured in foxholes in cities and towns across the country.
Like the United States Anti-Doping Agency recognises NSF Certified for Sport, NADA can consider recognising a third party programme best suited for athletes to reduce the risk from supplements. Of course, this does not eliminate the risk of being sanctioned even if an athlete establishes such a supplement is the cause of the dope positive
It is also imperative that besides athletes, National Centres of Excellence, National Sports Federations, NGOs supporting the training of athletes and the myriad academies around the country ensure that the supplements consumed by their athletes are not contaminated. If they go for cheaper alternatives, they are most likely jeopardising the athletes’ careers.
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