World Athletics' Integrity Unit designates India as country having 'extremely high' risk of doping

MONACO: India was on Monday designated as a country with an "extremely high" risk of doping by World Athletics after topping the list of doping offenders for the past two years, a development which will put the athletes under more stringent anti-doping stipulations.

In a decision taken recently by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) Board, Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has been re-categorised from Category B to Category A under Rule 15 of the World Athletics' Anti-Doping Rules.

"The doping situation in India has been high-risk for a long time and, unfortunately, the quality of the domestic anti-doping programme is simply not proportionate to the doping risk," AIU Chair David Howman said in a release.

"While the AFI has advocated for anti-doping reforms within India, not enough has changed. The AIU will now work with the AFI to achieve reforms to safeguard the integrity of the sport of athletics, as we have done with other 'Category A' Member Federations." India has ranked in the top two for the most Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) in athletics between 2022 and 2025.

According the AIU, India recorded 48 ADRVs (ranked 2nd) in 2022, 63 (ranked 2nd) in 2023, 71 (ranked 1st) in 2024 and 30 ADRVs (ranked 1st) in 2025 (data received so far).

Under the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules, the AIU Board categorises all Member Federations according to their doping risk to the sport. Category 'A’ Member Federations, representing the highest risk, are subject to more stringent requirements, including minimum testing of their national team athletes.

Category 'B' Member Federations represent a medium doping risk while Category ‘C’ Member Federations represent a low doping risk.

Recently, India have surpassed Kenya to top the Athletics Integrity Unit's (AIU) list of ineligible persons due to doping violations with 148 suspended athletes.

How long India may remain under high-risk category?

Under Rule 15.3.3, every three years the AIU Board shall determine in its absolute discretion the category of each Member Federation by taking into account the following factors such as the doping history of athletes, athlete support personnel etc, confidential intelligence or other information known to the Integrity Unit, the extent of success, or the potential for success, of the Member Federation in international events, the effectiveness of the national anti-doping programme in the country to deter, detect and pursue doping at all levels.

The AIU, however, may change a Member Federation's assigned category at any time within the three years.

Obligations Under Rule 15

A Category 'A' Member Federation shall ensure that there is an effective, intelligent and proportionate annual testing programme maintained and implemented within their jurisdiction that complies with the International Standard for Testing and Investigations.

The Testing Programme must ensure that athletes of the national team in any World Athletics Series Event, Olympic Games or World Athletics Ultimate Championship, and who are not already on the International Registered Testing Pool, have been adequately tested.

What constitutes ‘adequate’ testing shall be determined by the Integrity Unit on a Federation-by-Federation basis and communicated to the Member Federation concerned.

The Testing Programme must be properly documented (including the names of all the athletes concerned and applicable test distribution details) and notified to the Integrity Unit.

It must include in-competition testing, no notice out-of-competition testing and pre-competition blood testing for screening purposes (Athlete Biological Passport) and analyses as prescribed by WADA.

If athletes do not reside or train from time to time in the country, it remains the responsibility of Category ‘A’ Member Federation to ensure that the athletes are subject to testing abroad.

A Category 'A' Member Federation shall monitor the performance of elite athletes under its jurisdiction and keeps the pool updated throughout the duration of the Testing Programme.

No athlete may participate in the World Athletics Championships or Olympic Games unless, in the 10 months prior to the deadline set by the Integrity Unit for the relevant Event, they have undergone at least three no notice Out-of-Competition tests as follows: "The three no notice Out-of-Competition Tests must have been conducted with at least 21 full days between each test; (ii) the first of the three no notice Out-of-Competition Tests must have been conducted no later than 24 weeks prior to the start of the relevant Event i.e., prior to the first day of the World Athletics Championships or the Olympic Games, as the case may be; (iii) for Athletes competing in any of (a) a middle or long-distance discipline from 800m upwards, (b) a combined event discipline or (c) a race walk discipline, the three Out-of-Competition Tests must include at least one Athlete Biological Passport test (blood) and one EPO test (blood or urine).

For Athletes competing in all other disciplines, the three Out-of-Competition Tests may be blood or urine.

Under Rule 15.5.3, each Category ‘A’ Member Federation shall establish a suitably qualified and experienced Anti-Doping Monitoring Committee to oversee and ensure the organisation’s compliance.