Legislative Background

• The National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill, 2025 amends the National Anti-Doping Act, 2022.
• The parent Act was enacted to give domestic legal effect to India’s international obligations under the UNESCO Convention against Doping in Sport.
• The law seeks to establish a credible, transparent, and internationally aligned anti-doping framework in Indian sports.

Core Purpose of the Amendment

• Align India’s anti-doping regime more closely with global anti-doping standards.
• Strengthen institutional independence and procedural clarity.
• Improve the credibility of India’s anti-doping enforcement at the international level.
• Ensure faster and legally robust adjudication in doping-related disputes, particularly those involving international athletes and competitions.

Institutional Framework under the Act

National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA)

• Responsible for implementing anti-doping rules across sports in India.
• Conducts testing, investigations, and results management.
• Coordinates with international anti-doping organisations and sports bodies.

National Board for Anti-Doping in Sports

• Acts as a supervisory and advisory body.
• Advises the Central Government on anti-doping regulations and policy.
• Oversees the functioning of NADA within the statutory framework.

Key Changes Introduced by the Amendment

Constitution of the Appeal Panel

• The power to constitute the Appeal Panel is shifted from the National Board to the Central Government.
• The Central Government is empowered to prescribe the procedure for filing and hearing appeals.
• This change is intended to bring uniformity, procedural clarity, and stronger legal oversight in appellate mechanisms.

Autonomy of Anti-Doping Bodies

• The amendment removes the National Board’s power to seek information from or issue directions to the Disciplinary Panel and Appeal Panel.
• It explicitly grants operational independence to the Director General and members of NADA.
• This independence is ensured from:
  • national and international sports federations,
  • Olympic and Paralympic Committees,
  • government departments, and
  • agencies involved in sports administration or anti-doping.
• The provision aims to prevent conflicts of interest and strengthen institutional credibility.

Appeals to the Court of Arbitration for Sport

• The amendment restricts who may file appeals before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
• Only specified bodies are permitted, including:
  • International Olympic Committee
  • International Paralympic Committee
  • International sports federations
• This measure seeks to reduce frivolous litigation and ensure that appeals are filed only by legitimate stakeholders.

Direct Appeals in International-Level Cases

• In cases involving international-level athletes or international sporting events, direct appeals to CAS are permitted against decisions of the Disciplinary Panel.
• Eligible appellants include the affected athlete, NADA, the relevant international federation, WADA, IOC, and IPC.
• The amendment also allows WADA to file a direct appeal before CAS against a final decision of NADA if no other appeal has been filed domestically.
• These provisions aim to speed up dispute resolution and align Indian procedures with international sports law practice.

Anti-Doping Rule Violations

• The amendment refers directly to the World Anti-Doping Code for defining “whereabouts failure”.
• The article on anti-doping rule violations under the Code is incorporated as a statutory Schedule with the force of law.
• This ensures dynamic alignment with evolving global standards and reduces interpretational ambiguity.

Mandatory Accreditation of Testing Laboratories

• All dope testing laboratories in India are required to obtain and maintain accreditation from WADA.
• This ensures scientific reliability, procedural integrity, and international acceptance of test results.
• The provision reduces the risk of legal challenges based on laboratory standards.

Review of Adverse Analytical Findings

• During the initial review of adverse test reports, NADA must verify whether the result was caused by deviation from WADA standards.
• This includes standards relating to laboratories, testing procedures, and investigations.
• The measure strengthens due process, procedural fairness, and athlete protection.

Broader Significance of the Amendment

• Enhances India’s compliance with international anti-doping obligations.
• Improves trust of global sporting bodies in India’s regulatory framework.
• Balances strict enforcement with procedural safeguards for athletes.
• Strengthens ethical governance in sports administration.

Conclusion

The National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill, 2025 represents a decisive shift toward a globally harmonised, institutionally independent, and legally robust anti-doping regime in India. By strengthening appellate structures, ensuring laboratory credibility, embedding international standards into domestic law, and reinforcing procedural safeguards, the amendment addresses key weaknesses in the existing framework. Its effective implementation will be crucial for restoring confidence in Indian sport, protecting athlete rights, and upholding the principles of fair and clean competition at both national and international levels.