India Plans Criminal Penalties for Doping Supply Chains Ahead of 2036 Olympics Bid

India plans to amend its anti-doping law to criminalise the supply of prohibited performance-enhancing substances, Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya announced on Tuesday. Speaking at a UNESCO anti-doping conference in New Delhi, he said the proposed legislation would introduce criminal provisions for violations involving coaches and supply chain stakeholders. The move comes as India seeks to host the 2036 Olympic Games in Ahmedabad and strengthen its commitment to sporting integrity.

India has topped the World Anti-Doping Agency’s list of doping offenders for three consecutive years and ranked among the top two countries for athletics anti-doping violations between 2022 and 2025. These figures have raised concerns about the availability of banned substances, inadequate safeguards and limited awareness among athletes. The Athletics Integrity Unit has also placed the Athletics Federation of India in its highest-risk category, requiring stricter testing obligations for national-team athletes.

Mandaviya said India’s National Anti-Doping Agency had conducted more than 7,000 tests and organised over 350 awareness sessions reaching 27,000 athletes in the past two years. The proposed legal changes aim to address doping more effectively by targeting not only athletes but also those involved in distributing prohibited substances. The reforms could form part of India’s wider efforts to demonstrate its commitment to clean sport as it pursues its Olympic hosting ambitions.

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