India has achieved a hat-trick, topping the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) list of doping offenders for the third consecutive year. According to the 2024 annual report released late Tuesday, the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) tested 7,113 samples, reporting 260 adverse analytical findings (AAFs) at a positivity rate of 3.6 percent.
This follows India’s top ranking in both 2022 and 2023. While India led in absolute numbers of positive tests, other major sporting nations conducted significantly more tests with lower violation rates; for instance, China conducted over 24,000 tests but reported only 43 positive cases.
The gap between India and other nations remains stark in the WADA data. France recorded the second-highest number of AAFs with 91, followed by Italy (85), and Russia and the USA (76 each). Furthermore, the National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL) in New Delhi returned a positivity rate of 3.65 percent, the highest among all accredited laboratories globally.
In contrast, major international laboratories in Cologne and Paris processed over 25,000 samples each but returned significantly fewer positive results relative to their volume. The data suggests that nearly one in every five Indian athletes tested during competitions returned a positive result for prohibited substances.
Athletics continues to be the primary contributor to these figures, accounting for 76 positive cases from 1,852 samples. Weightlifting followed with a high positivity rate of 6.5 percent (43 cases), while wrestling contributed 29 cases. The report identified anabolic agents (steroids) as the most common prohibited substance, found in 195 cases, followed by stimulants and peptide hormones. The usage of Erythropoiesis Stimulating Agents (ESAs), such as EPO, is also noting a considerable rise among middle-distance runners, contributing to 33 reported cases.
In response to the report, NADA defended the figures as a "direct outcome" of intensified testing and a strengthening of the country's anti-doping framework. The agency noted that sample collection increased from 5,606 in 2023 to 7,113 in 2024, and claimed the overall positivity rate has actually decreased over a longer timeline.
"To tackle the menace of doping in sports, NADA India has not only increased the number of tests but also increased the emphasis on education and awareness," the body stated. To further support these efforts, the government is preparing to introduce a revised National Anti-Doping Bill, which has been tweaked to address WADA’s concerns regarding government interference and removes criminal penalties for athletes.
The persistent doping crisis poses a huge challenge to India’s sporting ambitions, particularly its bid to host the 2036 Olympics. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) recently flagged the issue during a meeting with an Indian delegation in Lausanne, urging authorities to "get their house in order."
Domestic incidents continue to embarrass the administration; earlier this month at the Khelo India University Games, reports emerged of athletes fleeing the venue to avoid officials, with one track event seeing only a single participant at the starting line. With the 2030 Commonwealth Games also on the horizon, these statistics serve as a critical warning for Indian sports administration.
