Shocking Report Reveals Inadequate Drug Testing Within India’s Anti-Doping Program
A stunning report released by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) on Tuesday has revealed evidence of inadequate drug testing within India’s anti-doping program, particularly targeting the nation’s athletes. The information was published in The Indian Express under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, showing the discrepancies in the dope tests conducted on India’s cricketers during 2021 and 2022.
Cricket Comes Under NADA Jurisdiction
In August 2019, cricket was brought under the authority of the government-run National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA). Although it was initially stated that all cricketers would be tested by NADA, the data revealed something different.
Data Shows Low Number of Cricket Tests
The data published by Indian Express showed that a total of 5,961 tests were conducted between 2021 and 2022, with only 114 of those focusing on cricketers. Comparatively, 1,717 tests were conducted on athletes, making athletics the sport with the highest number of drug tests.
Conclusion
The data released by WADA and The Indian Express has exposed the inadequate drug testing within India’s anti-doping program. While more tests are being conducted on athletes than cricketers, the number of tests conducted on the latter is still far too low. It is essential that more stringent measures are put in place to ensure that all athletes in India are tested for banned substances.