New Delhi: The sports ministry will organise a three-day conclave to develop a strategy to curb use of drugs among youth, even as doping cases continue to emerge with alarming regularity.
India has the most number of positive cases as per World Anti-Doping Agency’s latest testing figures and is second in Athletics Integrity Unit’s list of offenders.
WADA’s list showed that India’s positivity rate for banned substances was 3.8%, with 214 violations from 5606 samples in 2023 while the country is second in the AIU’s list with 128 ineligible athletes behind Kenya (134).
Last week, three wrestlers, including 2023 U-23 world champion wrestler Reetika Hooda was placed under provisional suspension by the National Anti-Doping Agency as was Asian Games bronze medallist canoeist Arjun Singh.
Speaking on the sidelines of an event on Monday, Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya expressed concern at the development.
नशे के ख़िलाफ, युवा होंगे एक साथ!
बाबा विश्वनाथ की धरती काशी से होने जा रहा नशा मुक्ति का आह्वान।
प्रधानमंत्री श्री @NarendraModi जी की सरकार द्वारा युवाओं को सशक्त करने के अभियान की दिशा में 18 से 20 जुलाई तक ‘युवा आध्यात्मिक समिट’ का होगा आयोजन।#NashaMuktYuva pic.twitter.com/hoSQGCl95A
— Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) July 14, 2025
NADA’s latest data though offers hope, as through increased outreach programmes and greater number of random dope testing, percentage of violations has dropped from 5.3 percent in 2019 to 1.9 percent till May 31, 2025.
In 2019, NADA had conducted 4236 dope tests for 225 violations and till May 31, 2025, 63 positive cases has been reported after 3296 tests.
The ministry and Sports Authority of India officials hope that once the anti-doping bill gets WADA’s approval and is passed in the Parliament, the numbers would go down even further.
Compiled four years ago, WADA is yet to green light the changes made in the bill as per its proposal by the ministry.
It is expected to be put up for approval once the sports governance bill is passed during the monsoon session that begins on July 21.
Drive against drugs
The sports ministry announced organisation of a conclave in Varanasi from July 18 to 20, to formulate a strategy to curb usage of drugs among youth.
At least 500 participants including five representatives from reputed spiritual organisations are expected to attend the initiative, named Nasha Mukt Yuva For Viksit Bharat.
It will be held in collaboration with the health ministry, ministry of social justice, ministry of culture, Narcotics Control Bureau and National Legal Services Authority.
“We want to make India Nasha Mukt (drug-free), and this programme is to shape the course of action towards that goal,” Mandaviya said.
The effect of this drive will be reviewed every year following which fresh target would be set.