Sports Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday, 27 October 2026, reaffirmed India's commitment to clean sport at the UNESCO International Convention against Doping in Sport meetings held in New Delhi, announcing plans for a fresh parliamentary amendment that would introduce criminal provisions against doping violations, including those by coaches and supply chain stakeholders.

What Dr. Mandaviya Said

Chairing the third formal meeting of the COP10 Bureau and the fourth formal meeting of the Fund's Approval Committee for 2026–27, Mandaviya told participants that the principle of fair competition was non-negotiable. 'Every athlete deserves a fair opportunity to compete, with success determined by talent, preparation and hard work, and not by prohibited substances or methods,' he said.

He also invoked Prime Minister Narendra Modi's repeated emphasis on clean sport, stating that the government practises 'zero tolerance towards the menace of doping.'

India's Strengthened Anti-Doping Framework

Mandaviya highlighted the National Anti-Doping Act, 2022, and its 2025 Amendment, both of which came into force in July 2026, as cornerstones of India's reinforced legal architecture. He signalled that a further amendment — aimed at criminalising doping-related offences and extending accountability to coaches and supply chain actors — would be tabled in the next session of Parliament.

This represents a notable escalation in India's legislative approach to doping, moving beyond administrative sanctions toward criminal liability — a shift that mirrors regulatory tightening seen in several European jurisdictions in recent years.

Testing, Education and Outreach Numbers

The minister cited significant ground-level activity by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) India during 2025–26: over 7,000 tests conducted, more than 350 education and awareness sessions held, and 27,000 participants reached. The sessions emphasised risk-based testing and intelligence-led investigations.

Mandaviya also noted that the Know Your Medicine mobile application had logged over half a million searches, helping athletes and support staff make informed decisions about permissible medicines.

UNESCO Classroom Toolkit and Global Collaboration

A Memorandum of Understanding is to be signed between the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, the Ministry of Education, and UNESCO to introduce the Sport Values in Every Classroom Toolkit across Indian schools — an initiative designed to embed sporting ethics and integrity in millions of young minds.

The meetings also addressed a framework document on the roles of public authorities in the global anti-doping ecosystem, anti-doping education capacity, academic research via the National Compliance Platform, resource mobilisation, and the Fund's Operational Strategy for 2026–2031.

The inaugural session was attended by Farid Gayibov, Minister of Youth and Sports of Azerbaijan and Chairperson of the COP10 Bureau; Luke McCann, Chairperson of the Approval Committee of the Fund for the Elimination of Doping in Sport; Hari Ranjan Rao, Secretary (Sports), Government of India and Vice-Chairperson of the COP10 Bureau; Gustavo Merino, Director for Social Policies and Inclusion, UNESCO; and Bureau members from Zambia, Spain, and Russia.

What Comes Next

India's proposed criminal amendment to its anti-doping law is expected to be tabled in the next parliamentary session, with implementation timelines subject to legislative approval. The Fund's Operational Strategy for 2026–2031 agreed at the meeting will shape resource allocation for global anti-doping programmes over the coming five years.