New Delhi, April 15: Indian Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya met with Witold Bańka, the President of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), on Wednesday. Following their discussion, Mandaviya affirmed India’s commitment to promoting clean sports and strengthening anti-doping mechanisms.
Mandaviya shared details of the meeting on social media platform X, highlighting a productive conversation with the WADA president. He stated, “Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India is dedicated to fostering a robust culture of clean sports, ensuring the true spirit of competition is preserved.”
Bańka emphasized the need for increased collaboration, discussing the advancement of anti-doping efforts in India and the effective implementation of global standards. He noted that continuous progress and strict enforcement are essential to maintain fairness in sports.
Earlier, Bańka also met with senior officials from India’s premier investigative agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). He underscored the importance of close cooperation with law enforcement agencies to tackle organized doping and related criminal networks under the Global Anti-Doping Intelligence and Investigation Network.
It is noteworthy that India was involved in concerning cases in global anti-doping statistics last year. A decade-long WADA study placed India in second place for doping violations, marking the third consecutive year that the country recorded the highest number of doping offenses.
According to data, India reported 260 ‘Adverse Analytical Findings’ (AAFs) with a positivity rate of 3.6%, the highest among major sporting nations.
Mandaviya has previously stated that strict actions will be taken against doping. Recently, he mentioned in Parliament that efforts are underway to enhance the investigative capabilities of the National Anti-Doping Agency, with support from agencies like the CBI.
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