Lok Sabha passes National Anti-Doping Bill, here's all you need to know

Union sports minister Anurag Thakur said that the anti-doping bill aims to protects the interests and rights of all sportspersons, and make India “self-reliant”.

Published on: Jul 27, 2022, 22:47:05 IST

By HT News Desk | Written by Sharangee Dutta, New Delhi

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Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed the National Anti-Doping Bill that seeks to offer a statutory framework for the running of the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) and the National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL). The bill was passed by a voice note besides some official amendments moved by the Centre. Addressing the Lower House of Parliament, Union sports minister Anurag Thakur said that several nations like the US and China already have its own anti-doping law, and now “India will be among these countries”.

Union minister for information and broadcasting, youth affairs and sports Anurag Thakur speaks in Lok Sabha during the Monsson Session of Parliament, in New Delhi on Wednesday. (ANI Photo/ SansadTV)

Responding to debate on the bill, Thakur said that it aims at strengthening anti-doping activities in sports. “[It aims to give NADA powers of] investigation, levying sanctions for anti-doping rule violations, the disciplinary procedures to be adopted and the powers of inspection, sample collection and sharing and free flow of information,” he added.

Thakur further said that the Centre currently is testing as many as 6,000 samples a year, and the numbers will shoot up to 10,000 a month when India hosts big sporting events. “So we need to increase the number of testing laboratories as well,” he noted.

The sports minister added that the bill will safeguard the interest and rights of sportspersons, and make India “self-reliant”.

Here are the salient features of the bill:

Build institutional capabilities in anti-doping and enable hosting of major sports events
Protect all sportspersons' rights
Ensure time-bound justice to athletes
Boost cooperation among agencies in battling doping in sports
Reinforce India's commitment to international obligations for clean sports
Independent mechanism for anti-doping adjudication
Provide legal sanctity to National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) & National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL)
Set up more dope testing laboratories
Create job opportunities both, directly and indirectly
Generate opportunities for academic research, science and manufacturing pertaining to anti-doping

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