India has highest percentage of doping offenders: WADA anti-doping report

EPO test failures put India at top of anti-doping failures list.

A recent report from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has brought to light some troubling news about doping violations in India.

According to the 2022 WADA report, 3.26% of samples taken from Indian athletes tested positive for banned substances, with a total of 127 out of 4,064 samples showing violations.

This year has seen an increase in both the number of samples analyzed and the rate of Adverse Analytical Findings (AAF), which rose to 0.77% from the previous year’s 0.65%. The samples, including urine, blood, and athlete biological passports, were examined at the National Anti-Doping Laboratory (NDTL) located at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium complex.

Trailing India, South Africa, and Bangkok’s laboratory were ranked second and third, with doping failures at 2.04% and 1.93% respectively.

India’s count surpassed sporting nations like Russia, the United States, Italy, and France. Meanwhile, China led in the sheer volume of tests conducted, with 17,357 samples and a relatively low AAF percentage of 0.25%.

A particularly alarming statistic places India at the forefront of EPO-Receptor Agonists (ERA) test failures, with 11 cases accounting for 1.8% of AAFs. These figures underscore a pressing issue within the Indian sports domain, necessitating immediate action to curb doping practices.

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Erythropoietin (EPO) belongs to a group known as Erythropoiesis-Stimulating Agents (ESAs) which boosts the blood’s oxygen-carrying capacity, giving an unfair advantage in endurance sports.

Recently, Murali Gavit and Ajay Kumar tested positive for banned substances from samples collected at the Goa National Games in October last year.

The report’s findings call for a concerted effort to enhance the scientific and research infrastructure in India. It also sheds light on the apparent deficiency in awareness regarding banned substances among Indian sports professionals, including coaches, doctors, and physiotherapists.

WADA’s Director General, Olivier Niggli, said, “An intelligence-led strategic in- and out-of-competition testing plan is an important element of any strong anti-doping program and it is not the only angle of attack. Implemented along with values-based education, intelligence and investigations, and other strategies, testing is an important method of detection and deterrence that helps protect athletes and keep sport clean.”

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