Twenty-two athletes at India's National Games, in Hyderabad, in December, including 13 medal winners, failed dope tests, the Indian Olympic Association announced on Tuesday.

"Twenty-two have tested positive from 464 tests held," Randhir Singh, secretary-general of the Indian Olympic Association, told a news conference.

"Doping has become a major menace in this country," he said.

Nine tested positive for the banned anabolic steroid nandrolone.

Bronze medal-winning rower Lakshman Singh has been banned after his urine samples confirmed the presence of nandrolone, a rowing official said.

Singh said other names would be announced only after the individual federations gave their responses to the IOA. These will be considered at its April 23 meeting.

The announcement is the latest in a series of doping incidents.

Distance runner Sunita Rani had medals she won at last year's Busan Asian Games restored to her after being cleared of doping charges, following an earlier positive test for nandrolone.

Male weightlifters Krishnan Madasamy and Satheesha Rai were stripped of their medals at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester for doping.

Singh said 19 doping cases were reported from the previous National Games but the IOA had no record of any action taken.

"We can only advise the federations. It is up to them to take action," he added.