All-Time Low: NADA Records 157 Indian Dope Cheats in 2019

The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) has recorded 157 doping violations from Indian athletes in the year 2019, a report in the Times of India stated. The report further suggests that NADA’s anti-doping disciplinary panel has dished out punishment to 147 athletes for taking performance-enhancing drugs, which is the most in the agency’s 5-year-long existence.

Of these 157 cases, most have been from athletics, wrestling, weightlifting, judo and powerlifting. A total of 4236 athletes were tested over the last year, of which 2126 emerged to be in-competition and the remaining 2110 being out-competition.

The NADA also conducted tests on 40 cricketers – some of which have also represented India at the international stage – during a four-month period starting which began in September last year. Of them, the in-ring testing competition stood at 22, while 18 were out-competition.

Having stalled the ministry’s near decade long attempts to bring BCCI under the NADA fold, the Board finally relented in August, a move that could have far-reaching implications in the near future. Sports minister Kiren Rijiju on Saturday welcomed BCCI’s decision to come under the ambit of National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA), terming it a major step towards clean and transparent governance in sports.

NADA has also collected blood samples of 58 athletes who are part of the athletes’ biological passport scheme, in addition to another 278 athletes. The body has also shortlisted 150 candidates, including some high-profile candidates likely to represent India at the Tokyo Olympics later this year. They will undergo tests three times before leaving for the Games and are majorly from disciplines such as athletics, hockey, boxing, shooting, archery, badminton, wrestling, weightlifting and tennis.