"India's contribution to WADA is increasing....": Anurag Thakur

New Delhi [India], July 3 : Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur said on Monday that the Memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) and South Asia Regional Anti-Doping Organization (SARADO) will be beneficial in time to come and added that India's contribution in World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has increased.

Thakur was in Delhi for NADA India and SARADO cooperation meet.

"The MoU signed between NADA and SARADO Organisation today will be beneficial in time to come. The information will be shared together (between these two parties). India will have a big role in anti-doping. India's contribution to WADA is increasing. NADA has spread awareness about anti-doping all over India. 'Play fair, say no to doping and clean sports' is emphasised by NADA. Clean sports are given priority. You could win a medal, but if you are caught in a doping case, it causes the player and country to earn a bad reputation and they lose out on a medal too," said Thakur while talking to the media.

NADA is the country's top organisation that promotes, coordinates and monitors doping and doping control across all sports. It was established in November 2005.

SARADO come into existence in May 2007 at the South Asian Anti-Doping Program Project Development Meeting held in Maldives. The participating countries agreed to its formation to benefit South Asia in the field of doping and fulfil the requirements of the World Anti-Doping Code to promote clean sports, as per its official website.