Amendments To Criminalise Doping In Next Parliament Session: Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya

Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday said amendments to the National Anti-Doping Act, which would criminalise the trafficking and distribution of prohibited substances to athletes, with a jail term of up to five years for suppliers, will be introduced in the next session of Parliament. Mandaviya made the assertion after chairing two meetings under the UNESCO International Convention against Doping in Sport here. Parliament's Winter Session is expected to begin in the last week of November. "India firmly believes that sporting excellence must always be accompanied by integrity. Every athlete deserves a fair opportunity to compete, with success determined by talent, preparation and hard work, and not by prohibited substances or methods," he said.

"India has strengthened its legal and institutional framework through the National Anti-Doping Act, 2022, and its 2025 Amendment, both of which came into force in July 2026.

"We will also bring another amendment in the next session of Parliament, which aims to introduce criminal provisions to deal with violations even more effectively, including those by coaches and supply chain stakeholders," he added.

Currently, India does not have penal provisions to tackle the supply of banned substances to athletes, and disciplinary action is limited to bans that can extend up to a lifetime depending on the severity of the offence.

The proposed amendments will criminalise the trafficking and distribution of prohibited substances to athletes. A jail term of up to five years would be prescribed for suppliers, including medical practitioners if they knowingly prescribe banned drugs.

"Whoever administers or applies to an athlete, for the purpose of or in connection with doping in sport... shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years, or with a fine which may extend up to Rs 2 lakh, or both," the proposed amendment states.

The minister also highlighted the steps India has already taken to tackle doping and educate athletes about banned substances.

"During 2025-26, the National Anti-Doping Agency of India conducted over 7,000 tests and more than 350 education and awareness sessions, reaching 27,000 participants, while focusing on risk-based testing and intelligence-led investigations," said Mandaviya.

"The Know Your Medicine mobile application has recorded over half a million searches, supporting informed decisions about medicines."

The meeting held here aimed to advance global collaboration in the fight against doping and strengthen the convention's implementation.

The agenda also covered resource mobilisation, the fund's operational strategy for 2026-2031, compliance and capacity-building to support a sustainable global anti-doping system.

India has topped the World Anti-Doping Agency's list of worst dope offenders among major countries for the past three years.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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