The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday passed the National Anti-Doping Bill, 2022. The Bill was introduced in Lok Sabha on December 17, 2021 and passed on h July 27, 2022 with some amendments proposed on the basis of the suggestions/recommendations received from the Parliamentary Standing Committee and some other key stakeholders.
With this, the Bill stands passed in the Parliament. A notable feature of the discussions on the Bill was that the members across the political spectrum unanimously endorsed the Bill.
The salient features of the Bill are as follows:
aStatutory framework in the form of legislation for prohibition of doping in sports and enforcing anti-doping activities in the country.
aThe proposed Bill intends to accomplish: -
gBuilding institutional capabilities in anti-doping and enabling hosting of major sports events;
gProtecting rights of all sportspersons;
gEnsuring time-bound justice to athletes;
gEnhancing cooperation among agencies in fighting doping in sports;
gReinforcing India’s commitment to international obligations for clean sports;
gIndependent mechanism for anti-doping adjudication;
gProviding legal sanctity to National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) & National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL);
gEstablishing more Dope Testing Labs;
gCreating job opportunities both, directly & indirectly; and
gCreating opportunities for academic research, science and manufacturing relating to Anti-Doping.
gEstablishing standards for the manufacturing of nutritional supplements for sports in India.
Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur said that it is a landmark occasion when India joins the select group of around 30 countries which have their own Anti-Doping Law. The making of this Law will send a strong message to the world that India is very serious about sports, sportspersons and tackling doping, he said.