Today is ‘National Sports Day’. While this day is being celebrated across the country to commemorate the birth anniversary of hockey wizard Major Dhyan Chand, doping has now become a major concern for the Indian sports world. Despite increasing sports budget and infrastructure, it is not getting the expected success on the global stage. Illegal measures like doping are questioning the dignity of sports. Preventing the use of banned substances in sports and instilling a spirit of fair and honest competition among sportspersons is the big challenge of the time. Therefore, on National Sports Day, there is a need for strict measures against doping and a new vision to make sports disciplined and clean.
The doping scandal in India
has reached a very alarming level. The Athletic Integrity Unit (AIU) had warned about this last April. India will host the Commonwealth Games in 2030. India is also keen on hosting the 2036 Olympics. If the doping scandal is not brought under control from now on, then India will have to face an international ban. In this case, it may hinder the hosting of the sports mega-event.
After the AIU list was published in April, there was a national debate about this incident. While India dreams of emerging as a sports superpower in the world, questions have been raised about the integrity and discipline of our sportspersons. The AIU said that the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) is now on the danger mark of the doping scandal list. Now Indian athletes will have to face strict doping tests in various international competitions. The AFI has been upgraded from Group B’ (medium) to A’ (highly dangerous) category in the doping list. India is in Category A along with Russia, Belarus, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria and Ukraine. Athletes from these countries have failed a large number of dope tests.
After the dope scandal list was published, the AIU has given some suggestions to the AFI. Now test the players regularly and keep a close eye on where they are and what they are doing. The AFI has accepted the suggestion and said that steps will be taken to improve the situation. Not only in athletics, but also in other sports, Indian sportspersons have been banned for years due to doping.
The situation is worrying in the decade
In 2015, 117 sportspersons were caught in dope tests in India. Gradually, this situation started becoming serious. In 2022, 2023 and 2024, the situation became worrying.
In 2021, 42 sportspersons tested positive. In 2022, it reached 125, in 2023, 213 and in 2024, it reached 260. The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) has increased the number of samples collected from sportspersons year after year. In 2024, a maximum of 7,113 samples were collected and tested. Especially in athletics (76), weightlifting (43) and wrestling (29), sportspersons are more prone to doping. The situation remains serious in 2025-26 as well.
In the desire for money and jobs, Indian sportspersons are taking the path of medal success through ‘shortcuts’. There is no such big goal. Away from the sportsmanship mentality, they only focus on winning medals by being ambitious. As a result, a job will be found. They are falling prey to doping in the hope of saving their lives.
Awareness is essential
There is a need to create awareness among children from the grassroots level about doping prevention. Not only the government, but also the national sports associations should work sincerely in this direction, so that the stigma of doping can be removed and the goal for which the central government has been investing sufficient funds in the sports sector year after year can be achieved. The sportspersons who are being trapped in the doping net from the beginning of their careers and destroying their talents, those talents can win medals in the world sports arena and make the country proud. As a result, India can emerge as a sports superpower. So let us all come together on the National ‘Sports Day’ to free the country from doping and lead it towards a sports superpower.
