News Excerpt:

The latest figures released by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) for 2022 indicate that India ranks first among countries with the highest percentage of doping offenders.

About the News: 

• The prevalence of doping offences in India, as highlighted by the statistics from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) for 2022, remains a concern. 
• The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) in India has reported many positive results compared to other countries, with 3.26 percent of samples testing positive out of 3865 handled. Out of 4,064 samples collected from Indian athletes, 127 were found to be positive for banned substances.
• The trend over the past few years reveals a consistent problem, with India consistently reporting a high percentage of positive cases. The figures from 2019 show a particularly alarming rate of 5.6 percent, indicating a persistent challenge in combating doping practices.
• These results underscore a significant issue within India's anti-doping efforts and the broader sporting ecosystem. The National Anti-Doping Laboratory (NDTL) in India, situated at the JLN Stadium, conducted these tests. 
• India also topped the list for the highest percentage of failed EPO-Receptor Agonists (ERA) tests, with 1.8% or 11 cases of adverse analytical findings (AAFs).
• It's concerning that India's doping violations surpass those of major sporting nations like Russia, the USA, Italy, and France. China, despite conducting the highest number of tests, reported a much lower percentage of adverse findings. 
• This revelation is a stark reminder of India's challenges in promoting fair play and integrity in sports.
• The data points to a need for a more robust scientific and research infrastructure within Indian sports to address the widespread doping problem effectively. 
• It also highlights a lack of awareness among coaches, doctors, and physiotherapists regarding banned substances and supplements.

  About WADA: 

• World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) was established on 10 November 1999. 
• Its mission is to promote and coordinate the fight against doping in sports internationally.
• the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was instrumental in the creation of WADA.
• The WADA Foundation Board is jointly composed of representatives of the Olympic Movement (the IOC, National Olympic Committees, International Sports Federations and athletes) and representatives of governments from all five continents. 
• The headquarters of WADA are in Montreal (Canada).

Way Forward: 

• India has been among the worst doping offenders for some years now. The report underlines that the situation has got worse. Russia was previously banned from international sports due to doping offences. Earlier investigations have shown that several persons, apart from the athlete, are involved in such cases. 
• Senior government officials and experts must carry out a probe and find out why doping continues unabated. 
• Authorities should take a strict, long-term view of the menace and find ways to eradicate it.
• As the Paris Olympics approaches, NADA must intensify its efforts to curb the prevalence of doping effectively by increasing the number of tests and implementing stringent anti-doping measures. 
• Additionally, raising awareness among athletes about the consequences of doping and promoting a culture of clean sport is essential in tackling this menace.