India must do more in its fight against doping

The bigger problem is that performance has become a high-stakes matter for sportspeople in India

India has once again topped the global doping charts, as per data analysed by the World Anti Doping Agency — underlining gaps in the country’s anti-doping efforts.

A country that wants to host marquee sporting events certainly can’t afford the ignominy of leading in doping. (PTI)

Testing remains a concern. Though the National Anti Doping Agency’s numbers show an impressive rise in testing numbers and a plateauing of positivity rates over the past few years, there is room for even more testing. France, which recorded the second highest number of adverse analytical findings, tested 11,744 samples against India’s 7,113.

The bigger problem, however, is that performance has become a high-stakes matter for sportspeople in India. A few years ago, lack of awareness would have explained the use of banned substances, but now enough information, updated in real-time, is available to athletes in accessible formats — so, it is likely that doping is now a studied choice rather than the result of ignorance. A distorted risk-reward perception is to blame. Given the limitations of age, health, and peak fitness, a sporting career can be short and may not ensure economic stability for the athlete. At the same time, success, especially in international events, has become a ticket to economic security. Even a one-time podium finish is rewarded with announcements of generous cash prizes from the government and, increasingly, corporations. Government jobs and endorsement deals make up the rest of the reward bouquet. This induces athletes to do all — fair or foul — to win, even if only once. Ironically, the stringent testing in most international sporting events means that any attempt to game the system usually falls flat.

A country that wants to host marquee sporting events certainly can’t afford the ignominy of leading in doping. The need is not just to be more vigilant and crack down harder on doping but also highlight the fact that very few get away with doping.