Fair Play Or Foul? Legal Aspects Of Doping In Indian Sport
- IJLLR Journal
- 2 days ago
- 1 min read
Lara Liza Koshy, BA LLB, Christ University, Bengaluru, Karnataka
ABSTRACT
The use of Performance Enhancing Drugs in Indian sport presents challenges which are legal, ethical, and systemic, which compromise the integrity and true spirit of sportsmanship. While India has become more prominent on the world sports stage, the country continues to record a high number of doping violations reflecting gaps in awareness, procedural inconsistencies and infrastructural inadequacies. This article examines the legal and institutional framework governing anti-doping efforts in Indian sports, highlighting the role of the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) and its alignment with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the WADA Code. Based on available literature, the paper evaluates the effectiveness of current mechanisms in ensuring procedural fairness, athlete protection, and compliance with international standards, as well as ethical concerns, including the implications of strict liability, due process concerns, and the balance between deterrence and rehabilitation. The analysis reveals that the legal framework has significantly improved, though challenges remain in implementation, transparency, and athlete education. The article concludes with recommendations for policy and legal reform, improved testing infrastructure, increased awareness and legal aid for athletes, as well as the promotion of a culture of ethical sportsmanship from the grassroots level, to strengthen India’s anti-doping management.
Keywords: Performance-enhancing drugs, Anti-doping law, Sports law, India, NADA, WADA Code
