New Delhi, May 21 (IANS) 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.

The proposed changes aim to strengthen action against criminal networks operating in and around sport while ensuring that clean athletes are not unfairly targeted under criminal law provisions.

Officials said the framework has been designed to strike a balance between athlete protection, sporting integrity, public health concerns, and effective law enforcement.

The proposed amendments also include safeguards for athletes with valid Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs), as well as protections for legitimate medical practitioners who administer prohibited substances in genuine emergency medical situations involving athletes.

The ministry noted that the proposed measures are aligned with India’s commitments under the UNESCO International Convention Against Doping in Sport and are consistent with the broader approach endorsed by the World Anti-Doping Agency.

Stakeholders, including sports federations, athletes, coaches, administrators, and members of the public, have been invited to submit feedback and suggestions on the proposed amendments as part of the consultation process. The deadline for submissions has been set for June 18.

–IANS

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