The Sports Ministry has initiated proceedings to amend the National Anti-Doping Act to impose jail terms on individuals involved in the trafficking, sale, and supply of prohibited substances in India.
The ministry has published a draft of the amendments on its website for consultation and feedback. It has invited all stakeholders to submit comments and suggestions by June 18.
The proposed amendments will target only traffickers, illegal suppliers, organised syndicates, and support systems involved in doping networks. Athletes not involved in these offences will not face jail terms for anti-doping rule violations.
“If you remember, I spoke about the same subject in my speech when the WADA chief, Witold Banka, was visiting. We are serious about breaking this syndicate, especially those supplying to minors,” Sports Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya told the media on Thursday.
Banka, during his visit for Global Anti-Doping Intelligence and Investigations Network (GAIIN) Asia and Oceania meeting in New Delhi last month, had called India the biggest producer of illegal performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) and steroids.
“Operation Upstream is a global operation. It is not limited to India. It involves many law enforcement agencies. There is no doubt that the biggest production of illegal performance-enhancing drugs and illegal steroids is in India. We have a big problem with this in India. So the main target, the biggest producer in the world, is in India,” Banka had said in April.
The ministry said the new measures are well-aligned with India’s commitments under the UNESCO International Convention Against Doping in Sport and are consistent with the approach supported by World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
Further, there are safeguards for athletes with valid Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs) and for medical practitioners acting in emergency medical situations that require the legitimate use of prohibited substances or methods by athletes.
Sports Ministry proposes jail terms for doping traffickers; draft amendments open for public comment
