World Anti-Doping Report 2022

• 09 Apr 2024

For Prelims: World Anti-Doping Agency, National Anti-Doping Agency, Anti-Doping, National Anti-Doping Act, UNESCO.

For Mains: Ethical implications of doping in sports, Effectiveness of government policies related to Anti-Doping, India's anti-doping efforts

Source: BS

Why in News?

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) anti-doping report, 2022, released by the WADA reveals alarming statistics on global doping violations, emphasising the need for stringent measures to safeguard the integrity of sports.

What are the Key Findings of the Report?

• India Leads Globally in Doping Offences:
  • India emerged with the highest percentage of doping offenders, accounting for 3.26% of tested athletes.
    • Out of 3,865 samples tested by India's National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA), 125 returned Adverse Analytical Findings (AAFs), making India the only country with over 100 positive results and the highest among nations testing more than 2,000 samples.
      • An AAF is a report from a WADA-accredited laboratory that identifies the presence of a prohibited substance and/or its metabolites or markers in a sample.
  • Despite being 11^th in the number of samples tested, India's doping violations surpassed major sporting nations like Russia, the USA, Italy, and France.
• Comparison with Other Nations:
  • South Africa followed India with 2.09% of samples testing positive among nations collecting over 2,000 samples.
  • China tested the most samples (17,357), producing only 0.25% AAFs, while the USA (84) and Russia (85) closely followed India in the number of positive results.
• Overall Increase in Testing and AAFs:
  • WADA reported a 6.4% increase in the total number of samples analysed and reported into its Anti-Doping Administration and Management System (ADAMS) in 2022 compared to 2021, signalling a positive trend towards maintaining the integrity of sports.
    • The percentage of AAFs rose from 0.65% in 2021 to 0.77% in 2022.
  • The director general of WADA, emphasised the importance of intelligence-led strategic testing plans along with values-based education, intelligence, investigations, and other strategies to combat doping effectively.

What are the Implications of These Findings for India?

• Concerns Regarding Athletes:
  • The prevalence of doping among young athletes raises serious concerns about their physical and mental development.
    • Doping poses significant health risks to athletes and undermines their long-term well-being.
  • It is imperative for India to prioritise the health and safety of its athletes by implementing measures to prevent doping and promote clean sports culture.
• Reputation Damage:
  • India's standing as the country with the highest percentage of doping offenders tarnishes its reputation in the international sports community.
  • The prevalence of doping could erode trust in Indian athletes and cast doubts on their achievements, impacting India's credibility in global sports.
• Olympic 2024:
  • A total of 142 Indian athletes were caught for doping-related activities in the period between April 2022 and March 2023, data compiled by the NADA has revealed.
  • Doping violations may pose a significant risk of disqualification for Indian athletes in the coming Olympics 2024, depriving them of the opportunity to compete and represent their country at the highest level of sporting competition.
  • The threat of disqualification highlights the need for India to address doping effectively and ensure clean participation in the Olympics.
• Discrepancies in Testing Efforts:
  • While the total number of samples tested increased from 1,794 in 2021 to 3,865 in 2022, it pales in comparison to countries like China, which tested 17,357 samples (almost five times that of India) but produced just 33 positive results.
    • Despite increased testing, the number of positive cases remains a concern, indicating the need for more comprehensive measures.
• Regulatory Oversight:
  • India's position at the top of the doping offenders list raises concerns and highlights systemic issues within the country's anti-doping framework.
    • There is a pressing need to strengthen regulatory frameworks and enhance monitoring mechanisms to curb doping effectively.
• Economic Impact:
  • The doping crisis could have economic repercussions, affecting sponsorships, investments, and revenue streams associated with Indian sports.
  • Upholding integrity in sports is essential to sustain and grow India's sports industry and economy.

What is Anti-Doping?

• About:
  • Doping is the act of consuming artificial and often illegal substances to gain an advantage over others in sporting competitions (For example: anabolic steroids, human growth hormones, stimulants and diuretics).
    • Doping products are often illegally produced, trafficked and distributed. As they are rarely approved for public use, their consumption is dangerous and poses a serious health risk to both professional and amateur sports people.
  • Anti Doping is opposing or prohibiting illegal doping to improve athletic performance.
• India’s Initiatives Related to Anti-Doping:
  • National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA):
    • NADA was set up as a registered society under the Societies Registration Act of 1860 in 2005, with a mandate of creating dope-free sports in India.
    • NADA is responsible for planning, implementing, and coordinating India’s anti-doping activities. It adheres to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) code and regulations.
  • The National Anti-Doping Act 2022:
    • The National Anti-Doping Act 2022 provides legal backing to NADA's. for regulating anti-doping activities in sports and to give effect to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) International Convention against doping in sport.
      • The act aims to ensure the highest standards of integrity while participating and preparing for sports competitions, both domestically and internationally.
  • National Dope Testing Laboratories (NDTL):
    • NDTL under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, is responsible for sample analysis and research work in the field of dope analysis.
    • The NDTL is WADA-accredited, this accreditation is a testament to the NDTL's commitment to quality and accuracy in its testing procedures.

World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)

• Established in 1999 by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to combat doping in sports globally. WADA’s governance and funding are based on equal partnership between the Sport Movement and Governments of the world.
  • The IOC is a not-for-profit independent international organisation committed to building a better world through sport. Established in 1894, it is the supreme authority of the Olympic Movement, fostering collaboration among all parties involved in the Olympic family.
• Its mission is to promote and coordinate the fight against doping in sports internationally.
• Headquarters: Montreal (Canada).
• The World Anti-Doping Code (Code) is the core document produced by WADA that harmonises anti-doping policies, rules and regulations within sports organisations and among public authorities.
  • It is designed to harmonise anti-doping policies and ensure the standards are the same for all athletes.
• The WADA Prohibited List is the international standard for identifying banned substances and methods in sports.
  • It is updated annually and applies to both in-competition and out-of-competition scenarios, as well as specific sports.

Way Forward

• Increased Vigilance:
  • Authorities need to tread cautiously and increase vigilance to prevent doping scandals from tarnishing the country's reputation.
  • NADA should ramp up testing efforts to detect and deter doping among athletes, especially high-profile ones.
  • All stakeholders, including NADA, national sports federations, the Sports Authority of India, and related NGOs, must collaborate to tackle the issue effectively.
• China's Approach:
  • Consideration of criminalising doping, with penalties including jail time for athletes and coaches, similar to China's approach.
  • China criminalised doping in sports resulting in a significant drop in doping cases.
    • Under these rules individuals encouraging athletes to use banned substances may face up to three years in prison and a fine. Organisers of doping may receive even harsher penalties, and knowingly offering banned substances to athletes is deemed a criminal offence.
  • In the 2022 WADA report, China had significantly fewer positive results, demonstrating the effectiveness of strict penalties.
• Education:
  • Athletes need to be educated about the dangers of doping and provided with proper guidance on supplements.
• Doping Detection:
  • Develop and implement new technologies to stay ahead of evolving doping methods. Use athlete data, competition trends, and whistleblower information to target high-risk areas.

Drishti Mains Question:

Q. How can India address the alarming increase in doping violations among athletes and safeguard the integrity of sports.

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Question (PYQ)

Mains

Q. An athlete participates in the Olympics for personal triumph and nation’s glory; victors are showered with cash incentives by various agencies, on their return. Discuss the merit of state sponsored talent hunt and its cultivation as against the rationale of a reward mechanism as encouragement. (2014)