India's ambition to host the 2036 Olympic Games is facing significant headwinds due to the country's persistent struggle with doping and drug use in sports. Despite a strong push from the Indian delegation to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), concerns over the integrity of Indian sports threaten to derail the nation's Olympic bid.
The IOC has candidly communicated that India must address critical issues before serious discussions about hosting the Olympics can take place. These issues include governance problems within the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), the country's underwhelming performance at past Olympics, and, most significantly, the rampant doping menace.
India's doping record is alarming. In 2022, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) reported that India had the highest percentage of positive doping cases among nations submitting over 1,000 samples. In that year, the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) reported 125 positive cases out of 3,865 samples tested. Furthermore, a separate WADA study revealed that India ranked second only to Russia in the number of positive doping cases among minors. The Athletics Integrity Unit has also placed India high on the list of doping offenders in track and field events. More recently, data from 2023 indicates that 213 out of 5,606 samples collected tested positive.
Several factors contribute to India's doping problem. Some athletes knowingly take performance-enhancing drugs, sometimes encouraged by their coaches, to achieve international-level performance. The synthetic steroid stanozolol is reportedly the most widely used banned substance among Indian athletes. In other instances, athletes may unknowingly consume banned substances through supplements or medicines. Desperation to escape poverty and secure coveted government jobs, often in law enforcement or the armed forces, also motivates athletes to risk doping. Success in sports can lead to lifelong financial security, making the risk of punishment seem worthwhile to some.
The Indian government and sports authorities are attempting to combat doping. The IOA recently formed a new anti-doping panel after the IOC flagged India's poor record. The government has also passed a new national anti-doping bill aimed at strengthening enforcement, expanding testing facilities, and ensuring the highest standards of integrity in sports. Furthermore, the government recently presented a bill in Parliament to grant greater independence to NADA. This bill seeks to address WADA's concerns about government interference in NADA. NADA has also increased its testing, conducting 4,342 tests between April 2022 and March 2023.
Despite these efforts, significant challenges remain. Experts point to an "organized racket" that hinders the cleanup of sports. Former IOC marketing director Michael Payne noted that while many past Olympic hosts had doping issues, India's credibility hinges on demonstrating a robust doping policy and governance. Payne also suggested that India's bigger obstacle might be demonstrating overall operational delivery capabilities, referencing the corruption-riddled 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.
India faces stiff competition from other countries vying to host the 2036 Olympics, including Indonesia, Turkey, Chile, and Qatar. To strengthen its bid, India must not only address its doping problem but also demonstrate improved governance, enhanced athlete performance, and the ability to deliver a corruption-free and efficient Olympic Games.
