Jakarta, 8 July 2025
National Agency of Food and Drug Control (BPOM) held a virtual meeting on July 8th, 2025, with several experts to review plans to permit the inclusion of the Prohibited Substance Tested logo on supplementary food for athletes. The meeting was attended by several nutrition experts from universities (including IPB and UGM) and Indonesia Anti-Doping Organization (IADO). The BPOM-initiated meeting was well-intentioned, as it aimed to clarify the content of food consumed by athletes, determining whether it contains prohibited substances. Furthermore, according to BPOM, there are currently no regulations governing the inclusion of the logo and the prohibited substance tested information. However, according to BPOM, products with this logo are already permitted for distribution in few countries, including Cambodia, the Philippines, and Vietnam.
From IADO, directly attended by the Chairman of IADO Mr. Gatot S. Dewa Broto and also Dr. Mirza Hapsari Sakti Titis Penggalih, S.Gz., RD., MPH, who coincidentally is a lecturer from UGM, also the Chairman of the Central Board of the Indonesian Sport Nutritionist Association (PP ISNA) and one of the members of the expert team when IADO formed PRESI (Educational Presenter). In her presentation, Dr. Mirza explained a number of main principles of anti-doping regulations, how a substance can become prohibited, substances and methods that are prohibited at any time, current issues regarding supplements and foodborne doping, and FDA USDA controls in sports food labeling. Meanwhile, the Chairman of IADO explained the corridor of rules that have been set by WADA regarding labeling, the experience of certain cases in Indonesia that provoked negative reactions from WADA, the challenges athletes and their coaches face in interpreting the Prohibited List (although there is already an Indonesian version) and the steps offered by IADO to overcome these problems.
In his closing statement, Chairman of IADO, supported by few experts who also spoke, took a very firm stance, stating that the labeling plan should be shelved, as it would easily and quickly provoke a negative reaction from WADA. Furthermore, Indonesia does not yet have a WADA-accredited anti-doping laboratory. However, IADO offered and proposed to the BPOM to facilitate communication with WADA, provided an official request from BPOM to WADA is received through IADO. IADO made no promises about whether WADA would approve it. However, it would at least provide an alternative solution from WADA regarding the steps to be taken in accordance with the provisions of the World Anti-Doping Code. It would also seek clarification from WADA as to why other countries have already dared to use such a logo.