National Anti Doping Bill 2021 introduced in Parliament
Recently the National Anti Doping Bill, 2021 has been introduced in the Parliament by the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports.
The Bill has the following objectives:
- To strengthen the existing framework and mechanisms to ensure doping-free sports activities and conduct doping control programs in sports in India.
- To achieve the objectives of the International Convention against Doping of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). This convention was ratified by India in the year 2007.
Key Provisions of the Bill
- A statutory framework will be created for the operation of National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA), National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL) and other dope testing laboratories.
- The NADA and NDTL set up as societies under the Societies Registration Act will be dissolved and reconstituted.
- It empowers NADA to investigate, impose sanctions for violations of anti-doping rules and conduct inspections, sample collection and sharing, and free flow of information.
- It is to be noted that NADA had no right to conduct raids in the past.
- A National Board for Anti-Doping in Sports will be set up. It will consist of a Chairperson and two other members appointed by the Central Government.
- The Board, the Agency and the NDTL will be audited and audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG).
About doping:
- Doping refers to the use of substances or physiological mediators that are not normally found in the human body. During a competition it is taken as an external aid by athletes to enhance their performance potential.
- NDTL was established by India in the year 2008 and NADA in the year 2009. NDTL is currently suspended by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) for failing to meet technical requirements.
Source – The Hindu
