The year 2009 will go down in the history of Indian sports as one of the worst in terms of doping with 24 athletes -- bodybuilders leading the hall of shame -- already sanctioned, 11 more waiting for their fate and another 13 such cases coming to light.

In a bid to ensure transparent and clean sports activities in the country, the Ministry on Thursday made it mandatory for all the National Federations to submit audited accounts of the last three years and state the steps taken to eliminate doping in their respective games.

A decision on whether to ban the dope-tainted Indian Weightlifting Federation has been deferred till Saturday by the sport's world governing body as it's Executive Board is yet to take up the matter in its ongoing annual Congress in Goyang City, Korea.

Andre Agassi responded to criticism of his crystal meth use with a plea for compassion, telling "60 Minutes" he needed help when he took the drug while depressed in 1997.

WADA director general David Howman would not elaborate on what he wrote in the letter sent to the ATP, but he told The Associated Press he hopes it "would bring a considered response."