August 3, 2022
Mausam Noor’s speech on The National Anti-Doping Bill, 2022
I thank you, Mr. ViceChairman, Sir, for this opportunity to speak on the National Anti-Doping Bill, 2022. I appreciate the Minister’s attempt to deal strictly with the dangerous problem of doping and to comply with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s International Convention against Doping in Sports. This is also timely, since our country is also performing spectacularly at the Commonwealth Games. I would like to begin by congratulating the Indian contingent for its performance thus far, and wishing them luck for the rest of the games. Sir, according to the latest World Ant-Doping Agency Report released in 2021, India ranks third in doping and has 152 cases across disciplines, only marginally below leaders – Russia (167) and Italy (157). Just last week some of our Commonwealth Games athletes were disqualified after failing routine tests for performance enhancing drugs. We were all witness to the scandal in another country where athletes were taking these drugs with
State sanction and administrative support. It is important that Indian sportspersons do not fall prey to the lure of easy wins and engage in dishonest behaviour. The administrative set up of sport in the country should work to identify and nurture talent fairly and provide an environment of encouragement and guidance so that young players are not led astray. The Ministry, sports administrative bodies, coaches, former players and seniors all have a responsibility towards new players in this regard. For example, even before the present Commonwealth Games, members of the Women’s Cricket Team were awaiting Visas till the last minute. Such administrative kinks should be ironed out with domestic bodies working in tandem with the international bodies. Sir, I agree with the concerns raised by my fellow Members. The Bill does not make a sufficient distinction between minors and majors and this
should be addressed under subordinate legislation so as to protect impressionable minors. The panels mentioned in the Bill should be independent and change must be made to separate the disciplinary panel and appellate panel as well as to give the disciplinary and hearing panels protection from arbitrary removal by the Ministry. Sir, while the Government has attempted to take a holistic view of the problem and by countering it from multiple fronts through this Bill, the socioeconomic reasons for doping have been overlooked. Research shows that one of the major reasons behind doping is a sportsperson’s desperation to register significant performances. Such performances determine the quality of the Government jobs and incentives they receive after their career in sports, and, therefore, fuel an intense desperation to register quick wins in the shortest time possible. A limited professional shelf-life, combined with the unrelated and unsatisfactory desk jobs that await them post their professional careers, has always been a worry for our sportspersons. Thus, the Government must change their perspective on the career of our athletes.
Provisions must be made for better monetary support during training and career periods as well as for post-retirement options to them in order to curtail their desperation. Our sportspersons must be humanized. They
cannot be looked at wins dispensing vending machines. Their needs and aspirations must be given the time and space they need as they strive to take our country to new heights each day.I would also like to point out that
there must be provisions to prevent harassment of players. While carrying out raids is necessary, NADA should ensure that appropriate safeguards are implemented to protect the rights of athletes and to address the issues of
privacy. There is also a need to lay down clear guidelines on what constitutes the Anti-Doping Rule violation. I would also insist that more dope testing laboratories should be opened up, preferably at least one lab in each State to ensure better accessibility and speedy test results. In Bengal, we have a long history of encouraging sports and
sportspersons. Trained in gymnastics and wrestling as a kid, the nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore was a great admirer of Jiu-Jitsu and even invited Judo instructors to teach them at Shantiniketan. Our football clubs
are legendary, and just last month, a trophy tour for the Durand Cup was launched from Kolkata in the presence of the State Minister for Youth Services and Sports. Sir, in conclusion, I would like to commend the Ministry for bringing forward this Bill to deal with this dangerous problem, and I hope it works for both, to prevent doping and to support and encourage promising players. Thank you, Sir.
