India moves to criminalise doping; focus shifts to supply chain, support staff

NEW DELHI: India is set to introduce criminal provisions against those involved in supplying and administering performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) to athletes, marking a decisive shift in its anti-doping policy. The move signals a departure from the country’s earlier stance, which stopped short of penalising coaches, doctors, and traffickers, focusing instead on sanctioning sportspersons caught in doping. The govt’s change in approach follows the visit of World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) president Witold Banka to New Delhi and his subsequent discussions with Indian officials highlighting the growing concerns around the country’s doping crisis, with India earning the dubious distinction of being the worst dope offender globally in recent years.

Coinciding with Banka’s visit was the final Asia-Oceania conference of WADA’s Global Anti-Doping Intelligence and Investigations Network (GAIIN). The gathering brought together representatives from dozens of countries, as well as international law enforcement agencies including Interpol, Europol, and India’s Central Bureau of Investigation.

On Thursday, sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya announced that the govt is working towards introducing criminal liability for those involved in trafficking and administering banned substances. He stressed that earlier efforts centred on laboratory testing and athlete compliance are no longer sufficient to combat the scale of the problem. “Doping is no longer an individual act of misconduct; it is an organised multinational enterprise. The threat of doping undermines sport as India becomes aglobal sporting hub. Regulations are not enough. Ethics and values are at the core of sports but growing pressure of competition can lead to doping,” Mandaviya said, emphasising the need for coordinated global action.

The changes are being incorporated into the National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill 2025, which was passed by Parliament last year. The govt is now working on further amendments, including reintroducing criminal provisions that were part of earlier drafts but later dropped when the original law was passed in 2022. Those initial provisions had included penalties such as imprisonment of up to four years or fines of Rs 10 lakh. The revised bill is likely to be introduced in either the monsoon or winter session of Parliament.

Mandaviya further made it clear that under the proposed legislation amendment, athlete support personnel — including coaches who encourage doping — will face legal consequences. At present, India lacks penal provisions to tackle the supply of banned substances, with sanctions largely limited to suspensions or lifetime bans for athletes. The proposed amendments aim to close this gap by targeting the networks that enable doping. Coaches, doctors, suppliers, and traffickers are expected to fall within the ambit of the new law.

Banka, on his part, stated that he has long advocated for criminalising doping, drawing on his experience in Poland, where such measures have been implemented. However, he clarified that the focus should remain on suppliers and enablers rather than athletes themselves.

“Doping can never be fully eradicated but we can make it harder for athletes to access banned substances,” Banka said. He acknowledged India’s serious challenges, noting that the country is a major producer of illegal PEDs and steroids. “The biggest producers of PEDs and steroids are in India. There is a serious problem and nobody is blind to it. Let’s be practical, doping can never be eliminated. What we can do is make PEDs inaccessible to athletes. We don’t want athletes to go to jail, only the suppliers. Those people should face strong consequences,” he added.

THE BIG FIGHT

• India is the biggest producer of performanceenhancing drugs (PEDs) and steroids. They are readily available.
• - An INTERPOL-backed Operation Upstream has been a success for WADA with 250 raids around the world, 88 illicit labs dismantled and almost 90 tons of PEDs seized.
• India plans to introduce criminal penalties for coaches, doctors, and traffickers.
• National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill 2025 with further modifications likely to be tabled in Parliament.

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