World Athletics Dub India 'High Risk' Due to Doping
Representational image. Collected.
India faces a significant embarrassment on the international sporting stage. After topping the list of athletes banned for doping for two consecutive years, World Athletics has declared India as a "high-risk" nation. As a result, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has been downgraded from Category B to Category A.
Following this decision by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) of World Athletics, Indian athletes will now have to undergo much stricter and more rigorous anti-doping procedures.
AIU Chairman David Howman said in a release, "The doping situation in India has been alarming for a long time. Unfortunately, India's domestic anti-doping activities are not sufficient compared to this risk. Although many reforms were promised, no significant changes have been observed in reality."
Statistics show that between 2022 and 2025, India remained in either the first or second position in terms of the number of athletes accused of doping. In 2024, India ranked number one in the world with 71 athletes caught doping. According to data available so far, 30 Indian athletes have already been caught for doping offenses in 2025, which is the highest in the world. Currently, 148 Indian athletes are banned for doping, surpassing even Kenya.
By moving into Category A, Indian athletes must now meet specific conditions to participate in major events like the Olympics or World Championships:
Athletes must undergo at least three out of-competition (no-notice) dope tests 10 months prior to any major event.
There must be at least a 21-day gap between each test. The first test must be completed at least 24 weeks before the competition.
Biological passports (blood) and erythropoietin (EPO) tests have been made mandatory for long-distance runners and race-walkers.
According to regulations, the AIU reviews the status of countries every three years. However, if India can implement major reforms in its anti-doping activities quickly, there will be an opportunity to change categories before the three-year period ends. Otherwise, as a Category A country, India will remain under the strict surveillance of the AIU.
