India tops world body's doping numbers again

With 260 Adverse Analytical Findings (AAFs) from over 7000 samples tested by National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) in 2024, India remains in the top tier of the global doping charts, a recent report from World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) has revealed.

- Shantanu Srivastava

In percentage terms, a positivity rate of 3.6% comfortably puts India ahead of sporting powerhouses such as the USA, China, ‘UK, and Russia, each of who, barring the US, tested more than India. While NADA’s National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL) tested 7,113 samples last year —537 blood and 6,576 urine — China tested 24,214 samples, out of which only 43 returned positive findings (0.2%). NADA did not test in the category of dried blood spots (DBS) in 2024.

Germany (15,081), France (11744), Russia (10,514), Italy (9,304) and UK (8,273) are the other countries that tested more than India while USA recorded 6,592 samples for the AAF% of 1.1%. Japan, with 6,117 tests, returned a positivity rate of 0.1%, meaning only nine countries tested over 5000 samples.

France returned the second highest number of AAFs behind India at 91, followed by Italy (85), Russia and the USA (76 each) and Germany (54). While India’s significant sample size and the corresponding positivity rate is a definite sign of worry, itis also a function of rigorous and transparent testing, said NADA.