India is world's worst dope offender: Tops list for third straight time

India has been identified as the world's leading nation for doping offenses for the third year running. A recent report from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) revealed that 260 Indian athletes were flagged for doping violations in 2024.

The high number of violations, despite increased testing efforts, is raising concerns, especially as India prepares to host significant international sporting events, including a potential bid for the 2036 Olympics and the 2030 Commonwealth Games.

WADA's report indicates that India had 260 adverse analytical findings (AAFs), resulting in a positivity rate of 3.6 percent. This is the highest among countries that conducted over 5,000 tests.

The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA), headquartered in Delhi, conducted 7,113 tests in the past year, including 6,576 urine samples and 537 blood samples. Of these, 253 urine samples tested positive for banned substances (196 from in-competition tests and 57 from out-of-competition tests), along with seven positive blood samples (four in-competition and three out-of-competition).

NADA has stated that the latest figures reflect a more aggressive testing approach by the anti-doping watchdog. In 2023, 213 cases were positive out of 5,606 samples.

That said, the reality is a bit more complicated. other leading sporting nations have demonstrated significantly lower positivity rates despite conducting more extensive testing. For example, France, with 11,744 tests, recorded 91 anti-doping rule violations (ADRVs), resulting in a positivity rate of 0.8 percent. Russia, formerly the leader in doping violations until 2021, had 76 ADRVs from 10,514 samples, a 0.7 percent rate. China reported only 43 doping failures from 24,214 samples, with a minimal positivity rate of 0.2 percent. The US Anti-Doping Agency conducted 6,592 tests with a positivity rate of 1.1 percent.

The report emphasizes the need for a stronger scientific and research system within the Indian sporting culture and also highlights a lack of knowledge among Indian coaches, doctors, and physiotherapists regarding performance-enhancing supplements and medicines.

NADA explained that the high figures are a direct result of India's intensified anti-doping efforts, which include expanded testing and stronger detection mechanisms, rather than an actual increase in doping prevalence.

In 2025, NADA has conducted 7,068 tests so far, with a 1.5 percent positivity rate after 110 adverse results.

To combat doping, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) recently established a new anti-doping panel, and the government has passed a national anti-doping bill to ensure the highest standards of integrity in sports.