WADA is challenging India to clean up doping issues
The World Anti-Doping Agency reported progress in its fight to clean up India, its worst offender. India has topped WADA's list of doping lawbreakers for three consecutive years, reporting the highest positive rate among major nations. “At the same time I have had fruitful conversations with different stakeholders here — from the sports minister, to NADA (National Anti-Doping Agency), and the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) to enhance cooperation in cracking down on the doping networks.
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NEW DELHI (AP) — The World Anti-Doping Agency reported progress in its fight to clean up India, its worst offender. India has topped WADA's list of doping lawbreakers for three consecutive years, reporting the highest positive rate among major nations. That's a red flag for the country scheduled to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games and aiming to host the 2036 Olympics.
“Performance-enhancing drugs and steroids are readily available in India — it is one of the biggest producers. It is a serious problem,” WADA president Witold Bańka said on Thursday at a press conference for its global anti-doping intelligence and investigations network. “At the same time I have had fruitful conversations with different stakeholders here — from the sports minister, to NADA (National Anti-Doping Agency), and the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) to enhance cooperation in cracking down on the doping networks.
” NADA head Anant Kumar outlined how the menace was being tackled within via a two-pronged strategy that was strengthening the detection and testing systems, while also increasing athletes' trust in the system through improved transparency and efficiency. NADA has increased testing from about 4,000 samples in 2019 to about 8,000 in 2025 though this remained low compared to countries like China, which tested upwards of 15,000 athletes annually. However, Bańka underlined that the rise in positive doping cases could indicate a more effective system.