New Delhi: The Athletics Integrity Unit announced on Monday that India has been added to a group of countries, including Russia, deemed to have an ‘extremely high’ risk of doping. The Athletics Federation of India has been upgraded from Category B to Category A, alongside nations such as Russia, Belarus, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, and Ukraine. This classification requires Indian athletes to follow stricter anti-doping protocols. According to the AIU, the world’s most populous nation ranked among the top two for anti-doping rule violations in track and field from 2022 to 2025. ‘The doping issue in India has long been a significant concern, and the national anti-doping efforts do not match the level of risk,’ stated AIU chair David Howman. ‘Although the AFI has pushed for improvements in anti-doping measures, sufficient progress has not been made.’ The AIU plans to collaborate with the AFI to implement necessary changes to protect the sport’s integrity, similar to efforts with other Category A federations. The AIU operates as an independent organization dedicated to combating corruption and misconduct, including doping, in track and field. India is scheduled to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games, which is viewed as preparation for a potential bid to stage the 2036 Olympics. In a recent incident involving Indian track and field, Asian Games gold medalist archer Prathamesh Jawkar received a two-year suspension. He admitted to a violation related to failing to provide location information and will be absent from the Asian Games in Japan this September and October. Last week, World Anti-Doping Agency president Witold Banka visited New Delhi and described India as a major source of banned performance-enhancing substances. However, he indicated that the country’s persistent high ranking in doping cases would not affect its ability to organize major international sports competitions.
