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India tops the rankings of planetary sports cause cheats for a 3rd consecutive year, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said, marking a dubious hat-trick for the country.
India’s National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) collected 7,113 urine and humor samples, retired of which 260 tested affirmative successful 2024, the planetary watchdog said successful its yearly study published precocious connected Tuesday (December 16, 2025).
The findings are a large stroke to India, which is preparing to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games — an lawsuit seen arsenic a stepping chromatic for the country’s ambition of hosting the 2036 Olympics.
Athletics (76) had the highest fig of doping cases past year, followed by weightlifting (43) and wrestling (29).
In July, under-23 wrestling champion and Paris Olympics quarter-finalist Reetika Hooda tested affirmative and was provisionally suspended.
At India’s University Games earlier this month, determination were reports of conscionable 1 jock showing up for immoderate way and tract events aft others fled due to the fact that of the beingness of anti-doping officials.
No. 1 successful 2022 and 2023
India was besides ranked fig 1 doping offender successful 2022 and 2023.
French athletes accounted for the adjacent highest fig connected the database successful 2024 with 91 affirmative cases, portion Italy were 3rd with 85.
Russia and the United States travel adjacent astatine 76 cases each followed by Germany (54) and China (43).
NADA defends fight
NADA defended their combat against doping aft the report.
“In caller years, India has witnessed a important strengthening of its anti-doping framework,” it said successful a connection Wednesday.
“To tackle the menace of doping successful sports, NADA India has not lone accrued the fig of tests but besides accrued the accent connected acquisition and awareness.”
NADA added that up to December 16, the fig of tests conducted this twelvemonth had been 7,068 with 110 affirmative cases.
IOC raises concerns
The WADA study comes months aft the International Olympic Committee (IOC) raised concerns astir the rampant usage of performance-enhancing drugs successful India and urged the state to acceptable its location successful order.
The Indian Olympic Association successful August formed a caller anti-doping sheet aft the IOC flagged India’s mediocre record.
The authorities besides passed a caller nationalist anti-doping bill to heighten enforcement, grow investigating facilities and “ensure the highest standards of integrity” successful sports.
