National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA)

In news : According to National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA),  dope cheats who compete below the national level will be let off leniently for their offence, with a promise of quicker disposal of their cases 

Key changes in the rules

• According to NADA, the revised World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) Code, which came into effect on January 1, gave them the liberty to frame separate rules for athletes who compete below the national level, hence there will be reduced sanctions for those found guilty of using performance enhancing drugs
• Punishment: The maximum punishment, this year onwards, for athletes below the national level will be a suspension of two years.  Until now, two years was the minimum quantum of suspension for an athlete found guilty of doping.
• Athletes who compete in state-level meets, school games, university tournaments and the Khelo India Games, among others, will be governed by the new set of rules
• As per NADA, this group of athletes will no longer be referred to NADA’s disciplinary panel. Instead, there will be a short procedure and a summary disposal of these cases so there is no delay
• As per the new rules, there will be separate criteria for dope control of athletes below the national level. These tests will not be reported to WADA and will be governed by our regulations
• There will be milder penalties and quicker disposal of cases as they will not have stringent protocols required under the WADA rules
• The 2021 WADA Code: It gives a country’s National Anti-Doping Organisation the freedom to identify which athletes will be classified as national-level athletes. It also adds that the ‘test distribution plan should prioritize National-Level Athletes and above.’
• The purpose of reducing sanctions for the dope offenders, he said, was to give them a second chance. 
• The whole idea is that upcoming athletes should not be ineligible for life at such an early age because of any misinformation they get

About the  National Anti-Doping Agency(NADA)

• NADA is the national organisation responsible for promoting, coordinating, and monitoring the doping control program in sports in all its forms in India
• NADA works towards a vision of ‘dope free’ sport in India
• NADA deals with adopting and implementing anti-doping rules and policies which conform with the World Anti-Doping Agency, cooperates with other anti-doping organisations and promotes anti-doping research and education.
• NADA is formed by the Union Government under the societies Registration Act. 
• NADA includes scientists and representatives from the Indian Olympic Association (IOA)

NADA’s Functions

• Adopting and implementing anti-doping rules and policies which conform with the World Anti- Doping Code
• Cooperating with other sports related organizations and other anti-doping organizations
• Encouraging reciprocal testing between National Anti-Doping Organizations, and
• Promoting anti-doping research & education

Testing 

• NADA is responsible to implement an effective number of in-competition and out-of-competition tests on the athletes in its registered testing pool. 
• This includes international and national level athletes being tested by NADA. 
• The NADA develops a test distribution plan and allocates the number of samples for each sport or discipline required for effective deterrence. 
• The plan includes out-of-competition testing, in- competition testing, and may include blood as well as urine collection