According to the AUI, India ranks among the top two countries in terms of anti-doping rule violations in athletics from 2022 to 2025.
Published April 20, 2026
Athletes in India will have to meet stricter anti-doping requirements after the Indian federation was placed in World Athletics’ highest risk category, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has announced.
India was on Monday elevated to the list of countries at “extremely high” risk of doping.
The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has been promoted from Category B to join the likes of Russia, Belarus, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria and Ukraine in AIU’s highest rated Category A.
Category A means Indian athletes must comply with stricter anti-doping requirements.
The world’s most populous country ranks among the top two for anti-doping violations in athletics from 2022 to 2025, according to the AIU.
“India’s doping situation has long been high-risk, and unfortunately the quality of the country’s anti-doping program is simply not commensurate with the risk of doping,” said AIU President David Howman.
“AFI has been advocating for anti-doping reforms in India, but we have not seen enough change.
“The AIU, like other Category A member federations, will now work with the AFI to achieve reforms that protect the integrity of athletics.”
The AIU is an independent body tasked with combating corruption and wrongdoing, including doping, in athletics.
India is set to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games, seen as a stepping stone to its ambitions to host the 2036 Olympics.
Asian Games gold medalist archer Pratamesh Jokal has been suspended for two years in the latest doping scandal in Indian athletics.
He accepted the punishment for his disappearance and will miss the Asian Games to be held in Japan from September to October.
Witold Banka, head of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), who visited New Delhi last week, said India is the largest producer of performance-enhancing drugs.
However, he pointed out that India’s constant lead at the top of the drug rigging list does not hinder its chances of hosting prestigious global sporting events.
AFI spokesperson Adile Sumariwala said the federation was working with the AIU, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and the National Anti-Doping Agency to address the issue.
“The AFI has a strong plan and we are all in favor of criminalizing doping in this country,” Sumariwala, who is also vice president of World Athletics, told Reuters.
“There’s nothing wrong with ramping up testing. In India, more testing is being done, so more athletes are being arrested.”
“We are fighting tooth and nail. Criminals and criminals doing this should be stopped by the police. We are not the police. Our job is to create policy and the government supports it.”
Last year, when an Indian delegation visited the International Olympic Committee headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, they were told to curb the menace of doping to boost their bid for the Olympics.
