UP, Punjab account for 33% of doping violations in India this year

Uttar Pradesh and Punjab have accounted for 33% of doping violations in the country till July 15 this year.

Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said this in the Lok Sabha on Monday in a response to a query on the number of athletes who have tested positive for banned substances in the last three years.

According to Mandaviya, 78 Adverse Analytical Findings (AAFs) have been recorded till July, of which UP and Punjab accounted for 13 violations each. Madhya Pradesh had 11 dope offenders, while Karnataka had nine.

According to the minister, the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya and Sikkim have not recorded any doping violations so far this year.

India had 131 doping violations last year, a significant decline from 2024, when there were 260 cases. In 2023, India had 213 doping violations.

“These athletes have been banned from sports activities in accordance with the National Anti-Doping Rules, 2021,” Mandaviya said in his written response.

“The sanctions, as determined by the Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel (ADDP), include disqualification of results, forfeiture of medals/prizes, period of ineligibility from participation in sports, and other consequences as prescribed under the WADA Code 2021," the minister said.