Doping threatens India's Olympic dream
As detailed in the 2024 Testing Figures Report published this month by the World Anti-Doping Agency, the Asian giant tops the global list of offences for the third consecutive year, a statistic that could jeopardise its chances of hosting the 2036 Summer Games.
The document prepared by WADA, which summarises all results from samples analysed and reported during the year by its accredited laboratories, places India as the country leading the worrying ranking of doping offenders. The report concludes that India's National Anti-Doping Agency collected a total of 7,113 urine and blood samples in 2024, of which 260 returned positive results.
Breaking down the count by sporting disciplines, athletics accounted for the highest number of positive cases in 2024, with 76, followed by weightlifting with 43 and wrestling with 29. India, with these numbers, stands ahead of France, which appeared as the second country with the most positives, with 91 cases, followed by Italy with 85. Russia and the United States shared the next rung with 76 each, ahead of Germany with 54 and China with 43.
From India's National Anti-Doping Agency, as explained by the local newspaper Deccan Herald, they maintain that this first place does not reflect an increase in the culture of doping but rather the work of a system that is catching more offenders who previously slipped through. NADA made clear that the results of the last year are due to intensified testing, wider surveillance and more precise detection methods. Tests have risen from 4,004 in 2019 to 7,113 in 2024.
In light of the report's impact, the Indian agency defended its actions and strategy in the face of criticism. "In recent years, India has witnessed a significant strengthening of its anti-doping framework," the body said in a statement. The agency underlined that, to combat doping, it has not only increased the number of tests, but also the emphasis on education and awareness. It added that up to 16 December of this year, 7,068 tests had been carried out, with 110 positive results.
"NADA has undertaken extensive nationwide education efforts to promote clean sport," said the agency to Deccan Herald. "In 2024, around 280 anti-doping workshops were conducted during sports events and training camps, reaching approximately 37,000 participants. By December 16, 2025, 329 awareness programmes were held, including webinars, seminars, TV sessions, ADEL courses, mega events, engaging competitions and digital campaigns to engage a wider audience."
WADA's Director General Olivier Niggli highlighted that "The Testing Figures Report remains a critical tool for all stakeholders, and the insights gleaned from it remain one of the best resources available to ADOs in their efforts to maintain and build strong anti-doping programs." For Niggli, the data are also "an important reminder of the important work carried out by Anti-Doping Organisations and WADA-accredited laboratories internationally."
The picture painted by WADA's report represents a new setback for Indian sport at a key moment in its international strategy, as the country prepares to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games, seen as an intermediate step in its ambition to stage the 2036 Olympic Games. The International Olympic Committee already expressed its concern over this issue during the meeting held this summer in Lausanne with the Indian delegation, led by the president of the Indian Olympic Association, PT Usha, and Gujarat's sports minister, Harsh Sanghavi.
In response, the Indian Olympic Association created a new anti-doping panel in August following the IOC's warnings, and the government passed a new national law to strengthen the enforcement of sanctions, expand testing facilities and ensure the highest standards of integrity. Regarding the anti-doping law passed in 2022, the Sports Minister Raksha Khadse highlighted that it grants the NADA authority and tools comparable to those of law enforcement, and that a more preventive and educational strategy will now be implemented.
To heighten the concern, Neeraj Chopra, India's javelin champion who won gold in Tokyo 2021 and Paris 2024, openly admitted in September the scale of the problem. In statements to local media, the athlete said openly that "Doping a big problem in India" and lamented that too many athletes in his country "turn to banned substances instead of eating well, resting properly and working hard." Michael Payne, former IOC marketing director, was clear at the time, stating that "The IOC will want to be sure that, before granting the Games, the host has a strong anti-doping policy and governance in place."
Beyond figures and reports, India's aim is to convince the world that the country has learnt from past mistakes, and to do so it will have to demonstrate that a new generation of athletes can succeed without shortcuts. Between the dream of Olympic splendour for 2036 and the urgent need to eradicate bad practices, the Asian giant now finds itself on a tightrope where sporting credibility is at stake.