The National Anti-Doping Act will be amended, a prison sentence proposed for drug suppliers
The National Anti-Doping Act, which was recently revised, is in for another round of changes aimed at making the supply and trafficking of banned substances to athletes a criminal offence. The proposed provisions include prison terms of up to five years for those involved in the supply of illicit drugs, including doctors and medical professionals caught knowingly prescribing the substances.
The proposed changes have been placed on the official Sports Ministry website for public consultation, with stakeholders invited to submit their feedback by 18 June. Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said the revised bill, which incorporates public suggestions, is expected to be introduced during the upcoming monsoon session of Parliament.
“Whoever makes or applies to an athlete for doping in sports for the purpose of or in connection with doping in sports…shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to (five) years or with fine which may extend to (two million) rupees or with both,” the proposed amendment said.
Mandaviya, who has consistently pushed for stronger anti-doping awareness campaigns, said the introduction of criminal penalties for the organized supply of banned substances had become essential.
“Doping is no longer just a sporting violation; it has evolved into an organized ecosystem exploiting athletes,” Mandaviya said in a media interaction here, as quoted by PTI.
“We’re only punishing those who consume, but the focus needs to be on the supplier as well. So whether it’s a coach, manager, fellow athlete or anyone who has direct access to an athlete, those found guilty of being part of the supply chain will be prosecuted if these changes go through,” he added.
The idea of ​​criminalizing doping-related activities received significant attention during the World Anti-Doping Agency’s Global Anti-Doping Intelligence and Investigation Network (GAIIN) conference, where Mandaviya revealed the government’s intention to introduce tougher legal measures to combat the problem.
India continues to appear at the top of WADA’s list of doping offenders has raised concerns in the past three years, particularly regarding the country aims to host the 2036 Olympics after securing the Commonwealth Games in 2030. The national anti-doping record is seen as a potential obstacle to these ambitions.
Interestingly, the latest proposal is similar to an earlier proposal introduced in 2018 which recommended a four-year jail term along with a fine of Rs 2 lakh for organized networks and individuals supplying banned substances to athletes.
However, these provisions were eventually dropped from legislation passed in 2022 and later revised last year, as the government prioritized a preventive framework over a criminal one.
The new amendments go a step further by bringing GPs under scrutiny. Doctors who knowingly prescribe banned substances could now face legal action if found complicit in doping violations.
“Whoever, for the purpose of or in connection with doping in sports, deals, sells, issues or otherwise places on the market without dealing or prescribes any prohibited substance or prohibited method, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to (five) years or with fine which may extend to (two million) rupees, or with both,” the amendment said.
At the same time, exemptions were proposed for athletes granted Therapeutic Exemptions (TUEs) for legitimate medical conditions, as well as for doctors dealing with urgent cases. In such cases, the athletes would have to prove their innocence.
“In the situations specified in this subsection, it is the athlete’s duty to apply for a retroactive medical exemption in accordance with the provisions of this Act and its regulations,” the amendment states.
“The relevant practitioner bears no responsibility, regardless of whether the therapeutic exemption is granted or refused,” it said.
The Ministry of Sports also specified that the proposed changes would not change existing rules regarding anti-doping offenses committed by the athletes themselves.
“Anti-doping rule violations by athletes will continue to be dealt with under the existing anti-doping framework,” it said.
“The proposed amendments seek to ensure that clean athletes remain protected while enabling stronger action against criminal networks exploiting sport and athletes for commercial gain.”
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Published on:
21 May 2026 20:20 IST
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