•The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has published proposed amendments to the National Anti-Doping Act, 2022, introducing criminal penalties for doping trafficking and administration.
•Proposed jail terms range from five to ten years and fines up to ₹5 lakh for trafficking or administering banned substances, with harsher penalties for minors and organised syndicates.
•Athletes will continue to face anti-doping rule violations under NADA, not criminal prosecution, unless involved in trafficking or organised crime.
•Public comments on the draft are open until June 18, with the bill expected to be introduced in the monsoon session of Parliament.
•India has topped WADA’s global doping offenders list for three consecutive years, prompting stronger legal measures.
•The proposed law holds coaches, doctors, suppliers, and traffickers criminally liable, including for knowingly prescribing banned substances.
•It remains unclear which agency—police, NADA’s I&I unit, NCB, or another—will prosecute cases under the amended law.
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has published proposed amendments to India’s National Anti-Doping Act, 2022, introducing stringent criminal penalties for those who traffic, supply, or administer banned substances to athletes. The draft, released for public consultation on May 21, seeks to shift the legal focus from athlete suspensions to criminal prosecution of coaches, doctors, suppliers, and organised syndicates. Stakeholders have until June 18 to submit comments before the ministry finalises the bill for introduction in the upcoming monsoon session of Parliament.
Under the proposed provisions, individuals found trafficking or administering prohibited substances face imprisonment ranging from five to ten years and fines up to ₹5 lakh. The stricter penalties apply particularly when the offence involves minors, commercial intent, or membership in an organised crime syndicate. For general doping rule violations by athletes—such as a positive test—the existing framework of the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) will continue to apply, meaning athletes will not be criminalised solely for anti-doping rule violations (ADRVs). Clean athletes are therefore protected under the current system, while the amendments specifically target those who exploit sport for commercial gain.
A key clause in the draft states: “Whoever, for the purpose of or in connection with doping in sport, traffics in, sells, dispenses or otherwise places on the market without trafficking, or makes out a prescription for, any prohibited substance or prohibited method, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years, or with fine which may extend up to two lakh rupees, or both.” A more severe clause adds: “Whoever traffics in, sells, dispenses or otherwise places on the market without trafficking, makes out a prescription or administers or applies a prohibited substance or a prohibited method to an athlete under the age of 18, or acts commercially or as a member of an organised crime syndicate for the commission of an act shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to ten years, or with fine which may extend up to five lakh rupees, or both.”
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya stated on May 19 that the bill would be introduced in Parliament during the monsoon session after incorporating stakeholder feedback. The amendments expand criminal liability to coaches, doctors, managers, suppliers, and traffickers, including medical practitioners who knowingly prescribe banned drugs for performance enhancement. Safeguards are included for athletes with valid Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs) for certified medical conditions and for doctors in emergency situations. In such cases, athletes must apply for retroactive TUE approval to prove innocence.
The move follows repeated warnings from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), whose president, Witold Banka, recently highlighted India’s persistent doping violations during a visit to New Delhi. India has topped WADA’s global list of doping offenders for three consecutive years, raising concerns about the country’s ability to host major sporting events, including the 2036 Olympics and the 2030 Commonwealth Games. The proposed amendments aim to curb the production and distribution of illegal performance-enhancing substances and dismantle organised networks that exploit athletes.
However, it remains unclear which investigative agency will handle prosecutions under the new law—whether it will be the police, NADA’s Intelligence & Investigations (I&I) unit, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), or another central agency. The draft bill does not specify prosecutorial authority, leaving this critical function to be determined in subsequent rules or amendments.
With public comments open until June 18, the sports ministry is seeking broad input from athletes, federations, medical professionals, legal experts, and the public to strengthen the legislation. The proposed changes signal a significant policy shift toward zero tolerance for doping-related crimes while preserving protections for clean athletes under NADA’s existing regulatory framework.
