Published: January 2, 2026 at 11:00 am
In recent years India has acquired a notorious reputation where the use of performance enhancing drugs by athletes is concerned. The matter is so alarming that concerns about this form of cheating by Indian athletes have intensified, drawing global attention to the country’s failure in controlling illegal practices by its sportspersons.
According to the World Anti-Doping Agency’s annual reports, India has recorded the highest number of positive doping cases in the world for three consecutive years, namely 2022, 2023 and 2024. It is a dubious distinction that has cast a shadow over the nation’s sporting achievements.
Athletics, weightlifting and wrestling have featured prominently in these figures, exposing a worrying trend across both elite and grassroots levels. The sheer scale of positive cases indicates that the malady has gone deep.
These positive cases have not only jeopardised individual careers but also sparked international concern. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has urged India to strengthen its anti-doping framework ahead of important events including the 2030 Commonwealth Games to be held in India, and its ambition to host the 2036 Olympic Games.
High percentage of positive dope tests
According to the annual reports released by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), in the year 2024 India recorded 260 positive dope tests out of 7113 samples tested. The positivity percentage for India is therefore 3.66. This figure is more than double of any other nation. Norway was second with 1.75 percent positive cases and the USA was third with 1.15.
To break up India’s tally of positive tests into different sports, the maximum number of offenders (76) came from track and field athletics, 43 from weightlifting, 29 from wrestling and 17 from boxing. In these sports there were the maximum number of positive tests. Other sports also contributed to the final tally.
Around 70% of positive cases are detected at domestic or sub-national events, suggesting a lack of awareness and supervision at lower levels of competition. The high rate of violations points to potential issues like the use of contaminated sports supplements, uncertified coaches promoting performance-enhancing drugs, and systemic gaps in sports governance.
The WADA report came a few months after the International Olympic Committee (IOC), expressed concern about the widespread use of performance enhancing drugs in India and urged the Indian sports administrators to take the matter seriously to set their house in order.
The Indian parliament recently passed the National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill 2025 incorporating the changes recommended by WADA to bring the Indian anti-doping system up to the mark with global standards.
Indian government worried about high doping cases
There is every reason for the government to be worried since it has plans to host the Olympic Games in 2036 and if India continues to top the charts in cheating, it will be a huge setback to the nation’s bid to conduct the Games.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and WADA take doping very seriously, especially when it comes to awarding hosting rights. The IOC evaluates not just stadiums and infrastructure, but also a country’s sports governance, integrity systems, and anti-doping enforcement before choosing a host city for each edition of the Olympic Games.
The Indian parliament recently passed the National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill 2025 incorporating the changes recommended by WADA to bring the Indian anti-doping system up to the mark with global standards
NADA increases number of tests, tightens procedures
In a bid to check this rampant fraud, India’s National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) has been increasing the number of tests and tightening procedures. This partly explains why more violations are being recorded in the last few years. Several leading sportsmen have also called for stronger anti-doping measures and better systems, including proposals for indigenous testing kits and expanded capacity.
These steps are aimed at demonstrating to international bodies that India is serious about cleaning up its sports system. If India can show improved anti-doping enforcement and crack down on offenders, the IOC may view the situation as an issue that can be fixed rather than a reason for automatic disqualification.
However, if the negative trend continues with high violation rates, India can risk being seen as an area of concern. It would be something that the IOC would weigh seriously before granting hosting rights for such a major global event like the Olympic Games.
Other countries also want to host Olympic Games
Other countries are also in the bidding process. Egypt has expressed interest in hosting the 2036 Summer Olympics in a multi-million-dollar sports complex called the Egypt International Olympic City which is located 45 kilometers east of Cairo. The project features a 93,940-seat stadium, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, tennis courts and two indoor venues. Other nations that have expressed interest are South Korea (in Seoul), Saudi Arabia (in Riyadh), Turkey (in Istanbul) and Hungary (in Budapest).
So, there is going to be stiff competition. India’s sports administrators and the Indian government should take nothing lightly and spare no effort to clean up Indian sports. The sooner this is done the better.
