India’s drive to host the 2036 Olympics is under scrutiny as the country struggles to shed its reputation as one of the world’s worst doping offenders. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has raised concerns over widespread use of performance-enhancing drugs among Indian athletes, echoed by javelin Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra, who admitted earlier this year that “doping is a big problem in India”.
Last month, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) created a new anti-doping panel after the IOC flagged the nation’s poor record. A new national anti-doping bill has also been passed to tighten enforcement, expand testing and “ensure the highest standards of integrity” in sports.
India ranks among the top offenders on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s list of nations submitting over 1,000 samples. From 5,606 samples collected in 2023, 213 tested positive, with the synthetic steroid stanozolol the most commonly abused substance.
Experts say desperation to escape poverty and secure government jobs drives some athletes to risk doping. “Athletes know they can be punished but still put their careers at stake because getting a medal can clinch a government job,” lawyer Saurabh Mishra said.
Athletics leads India’s doping violations, followed by wrestling, where 19 athletes were recently banned. Under-23 wrestling champion and Paris Olympics quarter-finalist Reetika Hooda tested positive in July and was provisionally suspended.
Sports medicine expert Saranjeet Singh said stricter testing explains part of the surge in violations but noted some athletes deliberately take banned drugs “for a short cut” to reach international standards, sometimes under pressure from coaches.
Despite its population of 1.4 billion, India has only 10 Olympic golds. Former IOC marketing director Michael Payne warned that, while doping is an issue, India’s greater challenge lies in proving its operational capacity to host a Games, referencing the corruption-tainted 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.
“That is the biggest hurdle facing India’s bid,” Payne said.
