IOC raises concerns as number of Indian competitors taking performance-enhancing drugs
\n new delhi
\nIndian sport is battling to shake off its reputation for being one of the world\u2019s worst doping offenders as the country pushes an ambitious bid to host the 2036 Olympics. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has raised concerns about the number of Indian competitors taking performance-enhancing drugs and so too has the country\u2019s best-known athlete. The 2021 Olympic javelin champion Neeraj Chopra made a blunt admission earlier this year.
\n\u201cDoping is a big problem in India among our athletes,\u201d he told local media, saying they instead should \u201ceat well, rest well and work hard\u201d. The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) last month formed a new anti-doping panel after the IOC flagged India\u2019s poor record.
\nThe government has passed a new national anti-doping bill aiming to tighten enforcement, expand testing facilities and \u201censure the highest standards of integrity\u201d in sports.
\n\u201cObviously the IOC would want to make sure that in awarding the Games to a country, the host has a robust doping policy and governance,\u201d Michael Payne, former IOC marketing director, told AFP.
\nThe World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) lists India among the worst offenders among nations submitting more than 1,000 samples. India\u2019s national anti-doping agency, NADA, insists the figures reflect more aggressive testing in the nation of 1.4 billion people. From 5,606 samples collected in 2023, 213 came back positive.
\nThe synthetic steroid stanozolol is the most widely used banned substance taken by Indian athletes, experts say.
\nCareers at stake
\nDespite its vast population India has won only 10 Olympic golds in its history.
\nExperts say desperation to add to that and escape poverty is one reason why some Indian athletes are prepared to risk doping. Success in sports can be a ticket to coveted government jobs, often with the police or armed forces.
\nThat provides life-long financial security after their sporting careers end.
\n\u201cAthletes know that they can be punished but still put their careers at stake,\u201d lawyer Saurabh Mishra, who has defended athletes in doping scandals, said.
\n\u201c(They know that) getting a medal will help them clinch a government job.\u201d
\nAthletics leads India\u2019s doping violations, followed by wrestling, where 19 athletes were recently banned. In July under-23 wrestling champion and Paris Olympics quarter-finalist Reetika Hooda tested positive and was provisionally suspended. Mishra said some athletes are victims of ignorance, consuming banned substances through supplements or medicines, but others take risks knowingly. Sometimes they are encouraged by their coaches to dope.
\nSports medicine expert Saranjeet Singh, who has written extensively on doping in India, said a recent surge in violations was only partly due to stricter testing.
\n\u201cThey cannot achieve the level of performance that they want at international level and use banned drugs for a short cut,\u201d Singh told AFP.
\nBigger hurdles
\nIndia now faces a race to prove its credibility, as it competes with the likes of Indonesia, Turkey, Chile and Qatar for the 2036 Games.
\nThe former IOC marketing director Payne noted that many past Olympic hosts had chequered doping histories.
\nWhile doping is an issue, India\u2019s greater obstacle to staging an Olympics lies elsewhere, he said.
\n\u201cThe bigger issue is confidence in the overall operational delivery capabilities of the host, and there India has a lot of work to do,\u201d Payne said.
\nHe was referring to the corruption-riddled 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, memories of which still linger.
\n\u201cThat is the biggest hurdle facing India\u2019s bid,\u201d Payne said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
IOC raises concerns as number of Indian competitors taking performance-enhancing drugs new delhi Indian sport is battling to shake off its reputation for being one of the world\u2019s worst doping offenders as the country pushes an ambitious bid to host the 2036 Olympics. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has raised concerns about the number of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":503313,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-503299","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n