WADA President Witold Bańka concluded a high-stakes visit to India on April 16, 2026, declaring that while “nobody is blind” to the country’s doping crisis, there is now a credible path toward reform. This shift centers on a new partnership between WADA and India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), alongside a legislative push to criminalize the supply of banned substances.
WADA’s “Top-Down” strategy
Bańka’s visit highlighted India’s status as a global hub for the production of illegal steroids. To combat this, WADA is integrating India into its Global Anti-Doping Intelligence and Investigations Network (GAIIN). The strategy moves beyond athlete testing to disrupt criminal syndicates:
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Intelligence Sharing: WADA and CBI leadership are coordinating to target manufacturers and traffickers of “designer drugs” that often evade standard lab tests.
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Global Crackdown: India is now a key player in Operation Upstream, an INTERPOL-backed initiative that has already led to the seizure of 90 tons of prohibited substances worldwide.
Criminalizing the supply chain
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya confirmed the government is drafting criminal provisions specifically for athlete support staff, including coaches, doctors, and distributors.
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Targeted Penalties: The focus is strictly on the supply and administration of drugs, aligning India with peers like France and Italy.
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Scale of Testing: India aims to increase annual testing from 8,000 to over 15,000 samples to support its 2036 Olympic bid.
Why it matters
India has frequently topped global lists for doping violations. By pivoting to a criminal investigation model, the government aims to dismantle organized doping. Coaches and facilitators now face imprisonment rather than just professional bans, signaling a priority for institutional integrity over simple athlete compliance.