AFI Hopes To 'Soon Be Removed' From World Athletics' Highest-Risk Doping Category

Left red-faced after the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) designated India as a country with an "extremely high" risk of doping, the national federation on Tuesday said it will work with the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) and the Sports Ministry to quickly come out of the category of worst doping offenders.

India was on Monday placed in the highest-risk category for doping by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), an independent watchdog set up by World Athletics (WA), after recording the highest number of positive cases over the past two years.

In a decision taken recently by the AIU Board, the 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 development will put the Indian athletes under more stringent anti-doping stipulations.

The AFI acknowledged the AIU's decision and said it will work towards moving out of Category A.

"With continued collaboration with the AIU, NADA and the ministry of youth affairs and sports, AFI is confident that India will overcome the challenge and soon be removed from Category A," said AFI.

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.

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).

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.

Under Rule 15.3.3 of the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules in force since January 2026, every three years the AIU Board shall determine in its absolute discretion the category of each Member Federation by taking into account factors such as doping history of athletes, athlete support personnel etc, confidential intelligence or other information, 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.

The AFI said it has consistently maintained that doping undermines the growth of athletics in India.

"The federation has actively collaborated with anti-doping bodies, both domestic and international, to strengthen education, enhance testing and support intelligence-led investigation," the AFI said.

"AFI has also strongly advocated for the criminalisation of those responsible for doping – particularly at the grassroots – to deter coaches and parents from exploiting young athletes."

It said the AIU has also recognised AFI's push for meaningful anti-doping reforms in India and said it remains committed to working closely with the AIU and NADA to combat doping at every level.

While upgrading India in Category A from Category B, AIU Chair David Howman has said that 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."

"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," he had said.

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.

The Testing Programme 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 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.