2[(1)] In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—
(a) “Agency” means the National Anti-Doping Agency incorporated and constituted under sub-section (1) of section 14;
3[(aa) “Anti-Doping Organisation” means the World Anti-Doping Agency or a signatory to the Code which is responsible for adopting rules for initiating, implementing or enforcing any part of the doping control process and includes the International Olympic Committee, the International Paralympic Committee, other major event organisations that conduct testing at their events, International Federations, and the National Anti-Doping Organisations;]
(b) “Anti-Doping Rule Violation” means the circumstance, act or conduct specified in section 4 3[or as detailed under the Code as set out in the Schedule];
(c) “Appeal panel” means the National Anti-Doping Appeal panel constituted under section 12;
(d) “athlete” means any person who competes in any sport at the national level or international level or participates in any competition or event to which this Act applies;
1. 15th July, 2026, vide Notifn. No. S.O. 3898E), dated 15th July, 2026, see Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, sec. 3(ii).
2. S. 2 numbered as sub-section (1) thereof by Act 26 of 2025, s. 2 (w.e.f. 16.07.2026).
3. Ins. by s. 2, ibid. (w.e.f. 16.07.2026).
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(e) “athlete support personnel” means any coach, trainer, manager, agent, team staff, official, medical or paramedical personnel 1[, parent or any other person] working with or treating or assisting an athlete who is participating in, or preparing for, a competition or event at the national level or international level or to which this Act applies;
(f) “Board” means the National Board for Anti-Doping in Sports established under sub-section (1) of section 7;
(g) “Chairperson” means the Chairperson of the Board appointed under sub-section (2) of section 7;
(h) “Code” means the World Anti-Doping Code adopted and amended from time to time by the World Anti-Doping Agency;
(i) “competition” means a single race, match, game or singular contest;
(j) “Convention” means the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation International Convention against doping in sport;
(k) “Director General” means the Director General appointed under sub-section (3) of section 14;
(l) “Disciplinary Panel” means the National Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel constituted under sub-section (1) of section 11;
(m) “dope testing laboratory” means a laboratory established or recognised under section 26;
(n) “doping Control” includes all steps and processes from test distribution planning 2[till the final disposal] of any appeal and enforcement of consequences, including all steps and processes in between, including but not limited to, testing, investigation, whereabouts, Therapeutic Use Exemptions, sample collection and handling, laboratory analysis, Results Management, hearings and appeals, and investigations or proceedings relating to an Anti-Doping Rule Violation 3[or violation of the prohibition of participation during ineligibility or provisional suspension];
(o) “doping in sport” means the occurrence of any Anti-Doping Rule Violations specified in section 4;
(p) “event” means a series of individual competitions conducted together under anyone ruling body, such as Olympic Games, World Championships of an International Federation and such other event;
4[(q) “in-competition” means the period commencing at 11:59 p.m. on the day before a competition in which the athlete is scheduled to participate till the end of such competition and the sample collection process related to such competition;]
(r) “international event” means an event or competition where the International Olympic Committee, the International Paralympic Committee, an International Federation, a major event organisation or another international sport organisation is the governing body for such event or appoints the technical officials for the event;
(s) “International Federation” means the international governing body for a particular sport;
1. Subs. by Act 26 of 2025, s. 2, for “or such other person” (w.e.f. 16.07.2026).
2. Subs. by s. 2, ibid., for “up to the disposal” (w.e.f. 16.07.2026).
3. Ins. by s. 2, ibid. (w.e.f. 16.07.2026).
4. Subs. by s. 2, ibid., for cl. (q) (w.e.f. 16.07.2026).
7 1[(sa) “marker” means a compound, group of compounds or biological variable that indicates the use of a prohibited substance or a prohibited method;]
(t) “Member” means a Member of the Board appointed under sub-section (2) of section 7 and includes the Chairperson thereof;
1[(ta) “metabolite” means any substance produced by a biotransformation process;]
(u) “national event” means a sport event or competition involving international level or national level athletes which is not an international event;
(v) “National Sports Federation" means any recognised body governing a particular sport to which the Code is applicable;
2 * * * * 3[(x) “out-of-competition” means any period which is not in-competition;]
(y) “person” means a natural person or an organisation or other entity;
(z) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under this Act;
(za) “Prohibited List” means the list of prohibited substances and prohibited methods specified by the Agency by regulations;
(zb) “prohibited method” means any method listed in the Prohibited List;
(zc) “prohibited substance” means any substance 1[or class of substances] listed in the Prohibited List;
(zd) “regulations” means regulations made by the Board or the Agency, as the case may be;
(ze) “sample” means any biological material collected from an athlete for the purpose of doping control under this Act;
(zf) “Society” means the National Anti-Doping Agency or the National Dope Testing Laboratory, as the case may be, registered as a society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 (21 of 1860) and functioning as such immediately before the commencement of this Act;
(zg) “testing” means the parts of the doping control process involving test distribution planning, sample collection, sample handling, sample transport to the laboratory 4[****];
(zh) “use” means the utilisation, application, ingestion, injection or consumption by any means whatsoever of any prohibited substance or prohibited method;
(zi) “World Anti-Doping Agency” means an international agency established on 10th November, 1999 in Switzerland which adopts and amends the Code for giving effect to anti-doping policies and international standards.
1[(2) The words and expressions used in this Act and not defined but defined in the Code shall have the same meanings respectively assigned to them in that Code.]
1. Ins. by Act 26 of 2025, s. 2 (w.e.f. 16.07.2026).
2. Cl. (w) omitted by s. 2, ibid. (w.e.f. 16.07.2026).
3. Subs. by s. 2, ibid., for cl. (x) (w.e.f. 16.07.2026).
4. The words “and testing of samples” omitted by s. 2, ibid. (w.e.f. 16.07.2026).
8 1[2A. Application of World Anti-Doping Code.—(1) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any other law, such of the provisions of the World Anti-Doping Code as are set out in the Schedule shall have the force of law in India.
(2) The Central Government may, from time to time, by notification in the Official Gazette, amend the Schedule in conformity with any amendments, duly made and adopted, of the provisions of the said Code set out therein.
(3) Every notification issued under sub-section (2) shall be laid, as soon as may be after it is issued, before each House of Parliament.]
CHAPTER II PROHIBITION OF DOPING IN SPORT AND ANTI-DOPING RULE VIOLATIONS