NADA RTP Update: Axar Patel and Abhishek Sharma Join Testing Pool

Introduction to NADA’s Role in Sports

The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) of India plays a crucial role in promoting clean sports by monitoring and combating doping practices. Each year, the agency updates its Registered Testing Pool (RTP) to include elite athletes who must adhere to strict testing protocols.

New Additions to the RTP

In a significant update, Abhishek Sharma and Axar Patel, both celebrated players from India’s T20 World Cup-winning team, have been added to the NADA RTP for the second quarter of 2026. This change comes as they replace Smriti Mandhana and Shreyas Iyer in the roster.

NADA’s Core Responsibilities

NADA operates in accordance with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) code and ensures that athletes compete in a fair environment. The agency’s responsibilities include:

• Conducting dope testing
• Managing results
• Enforcing sanctions for violations

Understanding the Registered Testing Pool

The RTP is a critical part of NADA’s anti-doping efforts, consisting of elite athletes required to regularly submit their whereabouts. This includes detailed information about their location and training schedules, allowing NADA to test them at any time, whether in or out of competition.

Compliance Requirements

Athletes must be available for testing during a designated one-hour window each day. Failing to comply with this requirement three times may result in a doping violation.

Current Status of the RTP

The latest RTP list includes 348 athletes from various disciplines, with a notable presence from the cricket community. Some prominent cricketers in the pool are:

• Shubman Gill
• Yashasvi Jaiswal
• Hardik Pandya
• Rishabh Pant
• Jasprit Bumrah
• KL Rahul
• Arshdeep Singh
• Tilak Varma

Female Cricketers in the Pool

From the women’s cricket team, athletes such as Deepti Sharma, Shafali Verma, and Renuka Singh Thakur continue to be part of the RTP, bringing the total number of cricketers to 14.

Representation Across Other Sports

Athletics remains the most represented sport, with participation increasing from 118 to 134 athletes. Key figures in athletics include:

• Avinash Sable (Steeplechaser)
• Jyothi Yarraji (Hurdler)
• Tejaswin Shankar (Decathlete)
• Animesh Kujur (Sprinter)

Other Sports Featuring in the RTP

Various other sports also have significant representation:

• Archery: Deepika Kumari, Rakesh Kumar, Sheetal Devi (para-archer).
• Hockey: Notable players include Manpreet Singh, Harmanpreet Singh, and Salima Tete.
• Badminton: The contingent includes eight players like PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen.
• Boxing: Features 22 athletes, including Nikhat Zareen and Olympic bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain.
• Wrestling: Comprises 31 athletes, including Olympic medallist Aman Sehrawat.

Conclusion

The updated RTP is a testament to NADA’s ongoing commitment to transparency and integrity in Indian sports. The close monitoring of athletes across various disciplines reinforces the agency’s mission to ensure fair competition and uphold the integrity of sports in India.