India registered the highest percentage of adverse analytical findings (AAFs), or failed dope tests, among countries with 2000 or more samples, ahead of South Africa, as per a World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) report for 2022.

India’s National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) tested 3865 samples (a combination of urine and blood) during the period, of which 125 returned adverse analytical findings. It amounts to 3.2 per cent of the samples, WADA said in its 2022 Testing Figures Report.

From the countries that had 2000-plus samples, South Africa returned the next highest percentage of adverse findings — 2.9 per cent from 2033 tested samples.

The third place went to Kazakhstan with 1.9 per cent of their testing pool of 2174 samples returning adverse findings.

The fourth highest percentage came from Norway and the USA. While the USA tested 6782 samples for 1.2% adverse results, Norway’s count was 2075 (also for 1.2% AAF).

In terms of number of samples tested, India are 11th on the list but the number of doping violations were higher than major sporting nations like Russia (85), USA (84), Italy (73) and France (72).

China tested the highest number of samples — 19,228 — during the period with an adverse findings rate of 0.2 per cent.

Germany tested 13,653 samples of which 0.3 per cent tested positive for banned substances.

RUSADA, Russia’s anti-doping agency, which is considered non compliant by WADA, tested 10,186 samples with adverse analytical finding percentage of 0.8 per cent.

“WADA’s Annual Testing Figures Report is the most comprehensive overview of all doping control samples…,” WADA Director General Olivier Niggli said in a statement.

“WADA is pleased to note that the number of anti-doping tests in the testing figures continue to increase across the board and are the closest to the pre-pandemic levels (2019).

“The Testing Figures Report is an important tool for collaboration between Anti-Doping Organisations,” he added.