Indian Athletics In Doping Crisis: India Surpasses Kenya On AIU List With 148 Suspended Athletes

Indian athletics has hit a new low, topping the Athletics Integrity Unit’s (AIU) list of ineligible athletes with 148 track and field stars suspended, two more than Kenya. The latest update, covering cases up to April 1, also places Russia third with 66 suspended athletes.

Among the high-profile names are women’s 100m national record holder Dutee Chand, serving a four-year ban since December 2022; middle-distance runner Parvej Khan, suspended until July 2030; and Tamil Nadu sprinter Sekar Dhanalakshmi, handed an eight-year ban in 2025.

The AIU’s list includes athletes penalised for doping at both national and international levels, as well as those involved in non-doping offences such as tampering, evading testing, trafficking, or failing to meet whereabouts requirements, all carrying the same penalties as doping violations.

The AIU, an independent anti-doping watchdog under World Athletics, has jurisdiction over international athletes and their support staff.

In response to India’s rising numbers, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has intensified anti-doping measures, tracking domestic centres linked to violations and tightening coach regulations.

All trainers must now register with the AFI; unregistered coaches face blacklisting, and their athletes will be ineligible for national awards.

Following the 2024 Paris Olympics, the AFI has decentralised national camps. Currently, only relay teams attend national camps, while most elite athletes rely on private organisations like Reliance, JSW, Tatas, or government bodies such as the Army and Navy for training.