India's Doping Battle: A Race Against Time for 2036 Olympics Bid

India shows a slight decline in its doping positivity rate, dropping to 3.6% despite an increase in the number of tests conducted. While this reflects progress, India still leads in positivity rate compared to other major countries. Challenges in addressing doping and football management persist as the country bids for the 2036 Olympics.

India's fight against doping is showing signs of progress, with the latest figures indicating a marginal decline in the country's positivity rate. The recent statistics reveal a drop to 3.6%, as India conducted over 7,000 tests this year while striving for international recognition in the 2036 Olympic bid.

Despite the slight improvement, India continues to have the highest positivity rate among major countries, posing a potential risk to its ambitious aim to host the Olympics. Concerns have been raised about several inadvertent doping cases, highlighting the importance of education and awareness among athletes and coaches.

Meanwhile, another significant challenge looms over Indian sports with uncertainty in the domestic football season following a commercial fallout. The national federation is in active negotiations with stakeholders to ensure continuity, amidst pressure from a Supreme Court ruling affecting governance autonomy.

(With inputs from agencies.)