The Athletics Integrity Unit announced its decisions on Monday, just days after India, currently in the running to host the 2036 Olympics, welcomed World Anti-Doping Agency leaders who urged the nation to enhance its troubling record.
“The doping situation in India has been a significant risk for quite some time and, regrettably, the standard of the domestic anti-doping program does not match this risk,” stated David Howman, the AIU’s chairman.
According to the AIU, India has reported the highest number of positive doping tests in track and field since 2024 and will now face stricter “minimum testing requirements for their national team athletes.”
Joining India on the list of highest-risk countries are also Belarus, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Russia, and Ukraine as of 2025.
Botswana, Cuba, and Peru have been classified as second-tier risks by the AIU, requiring their athletes to provide at least three no-notice samples during training to qualify for upcoming major competitions, including the worlds next year in Beijing.
Furthermore, Botswana runners will undergo additional testing prior to hosting the World Relays in Gaborone next month.
This measure was implemented due to “an insufficient reaction to repeated warnings regarding low testing levels, combined with an uptick in performance at the international level,” Howman noted.
Botswana secured two gold medals and one bronze at the 2025 worlds in Tokyo, all earned by male 400 meters runners in both individual and relay events.
Cuba achieved a gold medal and two bronzes in Tokyo, having “the highest percentage of athletes with zero out-of-competition tests among the top 40 nations,” as stated by the AIU.
Bahrain’s risk level has been downgraded, and the country received commendation from Howman for significant improvements in its anti-doping measures.
The AIU functions independently from the World Athletics governing body and has held member federations accountable for their national anti-doping programs since 2019.
First Published: Apr 20, 2026 7:09 PM IST
