Ministry proposes stricter anti-doping law, 5-year jail term for trafficking and organised networks

NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has placed the proposed amendments to India’s anti-doping legal framework in the public domain for consultation, seeking to introduce criminal penalties for organised doping activities while protecting athletes from criminal prosecution for standard anti-doping violations.

The proposed amendments are aimed at tackling the wider ecosystem that enables doping in sport, including traffickers, illegal suppliers, organised syndicates, and support personnel involved in the commercial distribution and administration of banned substances and methods.

According to the ministry, the proposed framework seeks to criminalise a range of activities linked to organised doping networks. These include trafficking and unauthorised sale or distribution of prohibited substances and methods, administration of banned substances to athletes for doping purposes, supply of such substances to minors, organised commercial activities related to doping, sale of prohibited substances without prescribed labelling, and advertisements or paid promotions encouraging doping practices.

The ministry clarified that athletes themselves would not face criminal prosecution merely for testing positive or committing anti-doping rule violations unless they are found directly involved in criminal offences such as trafficking or organised doping operations.

“Anti-Doping Rule violations by athletes will continue to be dealt with under the existing anti-doping framework,” the ministry stated.