India's doping woes: WADA numbers show India has highest positivity rate among major countries
India's positivity rate for banned substances stood at 3.8% -- 214 Adverse Analytical Findings (AAF) from 5606 samples. The sample size was significantly higher from 2022 when 3865 tests returned an AAF rate of 3.2%.
Of the 5606 tests, 2748 were conducted in-competition. India's positivity rate for banned substances was significantly higher than China (28,197 samples, 0.2% AAF rate), USA (6798 samples, 1.0% AAF rate), France (11,368 samples, 0.9% AAF rate), Germany (15,153 samples, 0.4% AAF rate) and Russia (10,395 samples, 1.0% AAF rate).
As compared to India's 214, France, Russia, USA, China and Germany recorded 105, 99, 66, 60 and 57 AAFs respectively.
"Any amount of doping is unacceptable but we have to acknowledge that our testing is vigorous and with every year the sample size is increasing. With our aggressive awareness campaigns, we intend to bring the numbers down in the next two years," a sports ministry source said when approached for a comment on the latest report.
Globally, 204,809 tests were conducted in 2023, of which 1,820 came positive for banned drugs with India's share of 214 accounting for over 11% of the total number of offenders, the highest for any country.
In all, Delhi's National Dope testing Laboratory (NDTL) tested 6,077 samples, including those from neighbouring countries. It's Adverse Analytical Findings (AAF) rate of 3.63% makes up the highest percentage of positive dope results among the 30 WADA-accredited facilities across the world.
Athletics leads the number of India's positive cases with 61 AAFs from 1223 samples — 567 in-competition and 539 out-of-competition urine samples as well as 117 blood samples. One AAF was reported from among the blood samples.
Weightlifting accounted for 38 AAFs from 451 samples, while powerlifting and wrestling contributed 28 and 10 AAFs respectively.
The numbers have expectedly raised an alarm and an admission that the country is yet to implement its Anti-Doping Act, which was passed in 2022, due to objections from WADA on some unspecified provisions.
"The NADA bill will be brought back to the Parliament after a restructuring. We have addressed the objections raised by WADA, which required changes to certain provisions," a sports ministry source said.
The National Anti-Doping Act, 2022 empowers the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) with legal authority and investigative powers similar to law enforcement bodies.
NADA even conducted a workshop recently involving officers of CBI and INTERPOL to understand doping investigation mechanisms, including interrogation of suspected dope offenders and banned substances' suppliers.
"The ministry is going to tackle this menace aggressively. There will be compulsory monthly doping awareness programmes and nutritional supplements will be tested at specialised labs in Gandhinagar and Delhi to ensure that they do not contain prohibited substances," a ministry source said.
"Most of the time, doping by a young athlete is either unintentional due to lack of knowledge or in desperation to get that one national performance that would help in getting a government job. But we will drill it into their psyche that they have more to lose if they don't comply with anti-doping rules," he added.
A NADA source said that India has demonstratively upped its numbers as far as testing is concerned and in relative terms, there has been a marginal decline in positivity rate.
"We had nearly the same positivity rate when we tested close to 4000 samples and now that rate has more or less remained the same with 1500 more tests this year. So, in relative terms there is a decline," he said.
"But of course, even this number is unacceptable given our ambition to be a sporting powerhouse," he added.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
9 hours ago
- The Hindu
Rising like a phoenix
In September 2022, on a glitzy, starry night in New York, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz met in a high-stakes quarterfinal at the U.S. Open. Though still in his teens, Alcaraz was the more pedigreed, having built up to that stage by winning the Miami Masters and Madrid Masters. In fact, in the Spanish capital, he had beaten Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic back-to-back, a statement performance. Sinner, on the other hand, was ranked outside the top-10 and had lost all five of his combined matches against Nadal and Djokovic until then. Over five pulsating sets at Flushing Meadows, Alcaraz beat Sinner, with the tie finishing at 2.50 a.m. local time. The Spaniard, after having edged the five-hour, 15-minute fixture, went all the way to bag his maiden Slam and become the youngest men's World No. 1. At 19, he was also the first teenager to secure a Major since Nadal at the 2005 French Open. As fans and commentators were busy heralding of the changing of the guard from the Big Three of Roger Federer, Nadal and Djokovic to the younger lot, and appeared eager to anoint Alcaraz as the new tennis king, lost in the din was the fact that Sinner, in that contest, had a match-point in the fourth set and was up a break up in the fifth. The Italian may not have gone on to win but he had shown enough to be considered a near-equal. Almost three years since that titanic tussle, Sinner followed through on the promise by beating Alcaraz in four sets last Sunday for his maiden Wimbledon title. Coming as it did after the heartbreak in the Roland-Garros final a month earlier, where Sinner lost despite having not one but three championship points against Alcaraz, it was the ideal balm for his hurting soul. The accomplishment also snapped a run of five straight reverses against his 22-year-old generational rival. Editorial | Courting grass: On Wimbledon 2025 'It was important for many, many reasons,' Darren Cahill, Sinner's coach, said after the triumph. 'Carlos had the wood over him for the last five matches. They have played amazing matches, and Jannik had chances in maybe four of the five, but hasn't been able to get the victory. 'So it was important not just because it was a Grand Slam final, not just because it was Wimbledon, and not just because Carlos had won the last five matches against him. He knew the importance of closing this one out when he had the opportunities,' the Aussie added. Three-month pause Turning the tide in their 13-match rivalry aside, Sinner's success over Alcaraz also comes at an important time in his career. Though the 23-year-old has inarguably been the world's best player since he won the first of his four Majors at the 2024 Australian Open, the suspension he served earlier this year for having traces of banned anabolic steroid clostebol in his system has threatened to take the sheen off every achievement of his. In mid-February, Sinner paused for three months after entering into a case-resolution agreement with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) for two positive tests in March 2024. Though he was cleared of intentional doping, many players, past and present, thought he had gotten away lightly and that the whole saga reeked of favouritism. But such was his resilience, that through all this, Sinner conjured one of the best 18-month periods in tennis history. Starting January 2024, he has a stupendous 99-9 win-loss record, has won 10 Tour-level titles, defended the Davis Cup and has been the undisputed World No. 1 for 58 straight weeks from June 10, 2024. He is now the holder of three of the four Slams and has reached the summit clash at each of the past four Majors. That he remained the world's best-ranked player through his ban showed the incredibly high levels he had elevated his tennis to. His ATP points tally right now is 12,030, nearly double that of third-ranked Alexander Zverev (6,310). '(It's been) very emotional, even if I don't cry,' Sinner said after Wimbledon when asked to sum up the last few months. 'It feels emotional because only me and the people who are close to me know exactly what we have been through on and off the court. It has been everything except easy. 'We've tried to push (through) every practice session, even (when) I was struggling at times mentally. Maybe (I struggled) even more in practice sessions because I feel like when I play the match, I can switch off and just play. I believe that this helped me a lot,' the two-time Australian Open champion added. The victory at the All England Club is also an important marker in Sinner's growth as an all-round player. He is undoubtedly the best on synthetic surfaces, having won 13 of 20 hard-court events he has entered (including two Davis Cups) since the 2023 Toronto Masters, and finished a worthy finalist in two others. But his development this season, first on clay and then on grass, threatens the territorial supremacy of Alcaraz, a two-time winner of both the French Open and Wimbledon. It is not that Sinner earlier had negative returns on the sport's two natural surfaces. He even beat Alcaraz at Wimbledon 2022 in their second-ever career meeting. But proving one's worth on the grandest of stages counts for more. 'My favourite surface is hard court, but in my mind I also know that I can play well on other surfaces,' Sinner said. 'I knew that I could potentially play well here (at Wimbledon) because of my groundstrokes. They're quite flat, and the ball goes through. 'Clay is different because I felt like the physical shape was not there. But this year, it was great. I played five-and-a-half hours against Carlos (in Paris). It was super physical and different, but a good move forward.' In a sense, Sinner finds himself in a similar position to Nadal years ago when the latter's style was seen through the lens of Federer's ethereal shot-making and thus judged a tad harshly. Precise strokes Sinner's razor-sharp focus, methodical approach and precise strokes do not please the crowd the way Alcaraz's flair, invention and free-spiritedness do. Sinner plays with controlled aggression and emotions rarely overflow. For Alcaraz, the court is like a playhouse and he feeds off the audience's energy. Where Sinner can be clinical, Alcaraz teases and toys before shutting the door. But after the Italian's trophy-winning fortnight in southwest London — where he also ousted the legendary Djokovic, among the greatest returners the sport has seen, for a fifth consecutive time — the gap in perception is bound to shrink. 'The rivalry, I think, is amazing already,' said Cahill. 'And I think it can get better with both these players pushing each other. Jannik watches more Carlos matches than he does (of) anybody else. 'He's fascinated with the improvements that are coming in his (Alcaraz) game, and he's pushing us as coaches to make sure that he's improving as a tennis player as well. So the rivalry is real. It's there. And hopefully it's going to be there and real for the next 10 or 12 years.'
Mint
16 hours ago
- Mint
IND vs PAK: Harbhajan Singh, Pathan brothers pull out from WCL 2025 clash; match on verge of cancellation
The highly anticipated India vs Pakistan match in the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025, scheduled for July 20 at Edgbaston in Birmingham, is reportedly on the verge of cancellation. This follows significant backlash and the withdrawal of key Indian players, including Harbhajan Singh, Yusuf Pathan, and Irfan Pathan, due to public outrage over the recent Pahalgam terror attack. Harbhajan Singh, Yusuf Pathan, and Irfan Pathan have pulled out of the India vs Pakistan WCL match, according to a report by RevSportz with sources citing criticism from Indian fans, particularly after the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 civilian lives. The attack, attributed to the Resistance Front, an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba, sparked anger, especially as former Pakistan cricketer Shahid Afridi, part of the Pakistan Champions squad, made controversial anti-India remarks. Fans criticized Indian players like Yuvraj Singh and Shikhar Dhawan for participating in the match. Reports suggest other players, such as Suresh Raina, may also withdraw, though no confirmation has been made. The Pahalgam attack intensified India-Pakistan tensions, with India launching Operation Sindoor, targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan. Pakistan's retaliatory shelling and drone attacks were thwarted by India, but the incident deepened the diplomatic rift. Notably, the WCL, an independent tournament featuring retired cricketers, is not governed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), limiting the BCCI's control over player participation. The India Champions squad, led by Yuvraj Singh, includes stars like Raina and Piyush Chawla, while Pakistan's team features Afridi, Mohammad Hafeez, and Shoaib Malik. The match, set for 9:00 PM IST, has drawn attention due to the historic rivalry and recent events. While no official cancellation has been confirmed, the withdrawal of key players and ongoing fan protests suggest the fixture is at risk. The controversy highlights the challenges of sports diplomacy amid political tensions, with fans questioning players' motives.
Hindustan Times
16 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Harbhajan, Pathan brothers pull out of IND vs PAK WCL match amid Pahalgam backlash; fixture set to be cancelled: Report
The India vs Pakistan match at the World Championship of Legends (WCL 2025) is reportedly set to be cancelled, with some players having already pulled out from the fixture. According to RevSportz, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan and Yusuf Pathan have already pulled out of the India vs Pakistan WCL match. The decision also comes after the Indian WCL team players were criticised by fans for playing against Pakistan, especially after the recent Pahalgam terror attack. Harbhajan Singh and the Pathan brothers have pulled out of the India vs Pakistan WCL match.(ANI/PTI) The Indian WCL team were recently at the receiving end of criticism of fans after it was revealed that Shahid Afridi would be part of the Pakistan team too. The Indian captain Yuvraj Singh, Shikhar Dhawan were also involved in social media war with the likes of Afridi over his anti-India remarks. The Pahalgam terror attack saw 26 civilians get killed by armed terrorists near Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir on April 22. The attack's responsibiity was initially claimed by The Resistance Front, an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba. In response, India launched Operation Sindoor, with missile strikes on terrorism-related infrastructure and facilities of Pakistan-based militant groups Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba in Pakistan across the border. Even Pakistan retaliated with cross-border shelling and drone attacks, which was foiled by India. Although there has been no official update on the match, it is scheduled for July 20, and is set to begin at 9:00 PM IST. It will be played at Edgbaston in Birmingham. According to reports, even other Indian players are expected to withdraw from the upcoming fixture. But there hasn't been any other confirmation yet. Also, the BCCI doesn't have any control over the participation of Indian players at the WCL, since it is an independent tournament and doesn't fall under their jurisdiction.
