India Placed on AIU’s High-Risk Doping List: What It Means for Athletics

India has been added to the Athletics Integrity Unit’s (AIU) Category A list of nations deemed to pose an “extremely high” risk of doping violations in track and field, the global athletics integrity body announced on April 20, 2025. The designation places India alongside Russia, Belarus, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria and Ukraine — countries subject to the most stringent anti-doping monitoring and testing protocols under AIU regulations.

The move follows a sharp rise in adverse analytical findings involving Indian athletes over the past three years. According to AIU data verified through its public sanctions database, India recorded 18 doping violations in athletics between January 2022 and March 2025, ranking it second globally behind only Kenya during that period. These figures represent confirmed cases resulting in sanctions, not merely allegations.

As a Category A nation, Indian athletes now face heightened scrutiny, including mandatory out-of-competition testing, increased frequency of blood and urine sampling, and stricter requirements for whereabouts reporting under the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) Anti-Doping Administration and Management System (ADAMS). Federations from Category A countries must also submit detailed anti-doping education and testing plans for AIU approval before their athletes can compete in international events labeled as “Category A competitions” — which include World Athletics Championships, Diamond League meets, and Olympic qualifying events.

The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) confirmed receipt of the AIU notification in a statement to Press Trust of India on April 21, stating it “fully supports the AIU’s efforts to safeguard clean sport” and is working with the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) India to implement enhanced protocols. NADA India’s director general, Rahul Bhatnagar, told the Press Trust of India on April 22 that the agency has already begun expanding its registered testing pool for Indian track and field athletes and is coordinating with the AIU on information sharing.

India’s placement on the list carries significant implications for its sporting ambitions. The country is set to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar, a milestone viewed as a stepping stone toward its bid to host the 2036 Summer Olympics. Hosting major multi-sport events requires compliance with WADA’s International Standard for Major Events, which mandates robust anti-doping programs — a standard India must now demonstrate under intensified scrutiny.

Adding complexity to the situation, WADA President Witold Banka stated during a visit to New Delhi on April 14, 2025, that India remains a significant source of performance-enhancing substances globally. Speaking at a press conference at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Banka said, “India continues to be a major producer and exporter of substances that appear on the WADA Prohibited List, particularly in the unregulated pharmaceutical and supplement sectors.” His remarks were corroborated by WADA’s 2024 Intelligence Report, which identified Indian-manufactured compounds in adverse findings across multiple sports in Europe and Southeast Asia.

The AIU’s decision reflects a broader pattern of concern. Since 2021, the unit has issued over 40 public alerts regarding suspicious athlete profiles, abnormal passport data, and coaching networks linked to India. In January 2024, the AIU suspended two Indian middle-distance runners based on anomalies in their Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) data, though both cases were later closed after supplementary explanations were accepted — a process that underscores the unit’s reliance on longitudinal biomarker monitoring rather than solely on positive tests.

Indian athletes have expressed mixed reactions. Neeraj Chopra, the reigning Olympic and World Champion in men’s javelin throw, told Reuters in a March 2025 interview that he supports “any measure that protects the integrity of our sport,” while acknowledging the stigma attached to national-level designations. “It’s unfair to the clean athletes,” he said, “but if it leads to better systems, then it’s worth it.” Chopra has been tested 12 times by NADA India and the AIU combined since January 2023, all results negative.

Conversely, several emerging athletes have reported difficulties accessing international competitions due to visa delays and heightened scrutiny at borders, particularly when carrying nutritional supplements or prescribed medications. The AFI has issued advisories urging athletes to declare all substances and use only NADA-approved products, a challenge given the fragmented regulation of India’s multi-billion-dollar nutraceutical industry.

The situation presents a critical juncture for Indian athletics. While the AIU designation brings reputational risk and operational burdens, it also unlocks access to AIU-led capacity-building programs, including funding for educator training, test distribution, and intelligence-sharing initiatives. Similar interventions have helped nations like Ukraine and Nigeria improve their anti-doping frameworks over time, even while remaining in Category A.

Looking ahead, the next key milestone is the AIU’s mid-year review cycle, scheduled for September 2025, when nations may petition for reclassification based on demonstrated progress. For India to move to Category B or C, it must show sustained reductions in violations, improved testing coverage, and verifiable outcomes from its education and intelligence programs — benchmarks that NADA India says It’s actively pursuing.

As the global athletics community turns its focus toward the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo this September, the status of Indian athletes will be closely watched — not just for their performances on the track, but for what their participation signifies about the effectiveness of reform efforts in one of the world’s most populous sporting nations.

The integrity of sport depends not only on catching cheats but on building systems that deter them. India’s journey from high-risk designation to trusted partner in clean sport will be measured not in headlines, but in the quiet consistency of compliance, transparency, and accountability over the years to reach.

For updates on India’s anti-doping progress and upcoming athletics events, follow the Athletics Integrity Unit’s official website and the Athletics Federation of India’s media releases.

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