India tops world body’s doping numbers again

young new delhi: With 260 inauspicious Analytical Findings (AAFs) from o'er 7000 samples tried by National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) in 2024, India remains in the top tier of the global doping charts, a recent report from World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) has revealed.

In percentage terms, a positivity rate of 3.6% comfortably puts India ahead of sporting powerhouses such as the USA, China, UK, and Russia, each of who, barring the US, tested more than India. While NADA’s National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL) tested 7,113 samples last year — 537 blood and 6,576 urine — China tested 24,214 samples, out of which only 43 returned positive findings (0.2%). NADA did not test in the category of dried blood spots (DBS) in 2024.

Germany (15,081), France (11,744), Russia (10,514), Italy (9,304) and UK (8,273) are the other countries that tested more than India while USA recorded 6,592 samples for the AAF% of 1.1%. Japan, with 6,117 tests, returned a positivity rate of 0.1%, meaning only nine countries tested over 5000 samples.

France returned the second highest number of AAFs behind India at 91, followed by Italy (85), Russia and the USA (76 each) and Germany (54).

While India’s significant sample size and the corresponding positivity rate is a definite sign of worry, it is also a function of rigorous and transparent testing, said NADA.

“There is a problem, and we are not running away from it. Such high numbers are certainly a cause of concern. If you look at high-performing nations, all, barring the US, have tested more than us and have returned lower AAF percentages. So, we can’t say there’s not a problem,” a senior NADA official told HT.

“At the same time, our testing has intensified and we are dealing with the problem head-on. We are accepting there is a problem, and while testing is a deterrent, we also have expansive education programmes for athletes to prevent them from taking banned substances,” the official added.

An analytical look at NADA’s numbers indicate the encouraging trend of higher testing and a plateauing positivity rate. In 2022, NADA tested 3,865 samples, 2023 saw 5606 samples, and 2025 has already witnessed 7,068 tests with 110 athletes returning positive results (1.5%).

“The anti-doping education is now institutionalised across National Games, Khelo India Games, SAI Centres, NCOEs, universities, and training camps. Over 37,000 stakeholders were sensitised in 2024, with 300+ awareness programmes conducted in 2025. The number of trained and certified Doping Control Officers (DCOs) has also increased substantially, ensuring wider coverage, professional sample collection, and consistent enforcement across competitions nationwide. Our annual budgetary allocation for 2025-26 is over ₹24 crore which has helped us build resources and further the reach of our awareness drives,” another NADA official said.

To address the issue of contaminated supplements, NADA said it is working closely with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and the National Forensic Science University (NFSU) to strengthen nutrition supplement testing. The agency has also built a first-of-its kind supplement testing infrastructure in the country with laboratories at NFSU Gandhinagar and NIPER Hyderabad having been tasked to test nutritional supplements.

NADA is also aligning with international best practices through strategic collaboration with WADA and other stakeholders, including two regional workshops in 2025 and a regional conference scheduled in April 2026.

“From a failure rate of 5.6% in 2019, India is now down to about 1.5% in 2025. More tests and fewer failures is not accidental but an outcome of sustained deterrence, systematic education, and a deep behavioural shift across the athlete and support personnel ecosystem,” the official explained.

Despite NADA’s efforts, India’s consistent dominance of the doping charts is a major worry, especially with the country looking to host multiple high-profile world events in near future. The recent instance marks the third successive occasion of India topping the AAF numbers, following their dubious distinctions in 2022 (125 AAFs) and 2023 (213 AAFs).

Globally, the WADA report notes a 3.2% increase in the number of samples analysed and reported in 2024 (2,97,965) against the previous year (2,88,865). The total percentage of AAFs year on year has remained steady (0.80% in 2023 to 0.78% in 2024).

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