Delhi, 13 March (H.S.): The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has released the Draft National Code Against Age Fraud in Sports (NCAAFS) 2025 for public feedback. This new code aims to combat age fraud, safeguarding the integrity of sports in India after 15 years. Key objectives include ensuring fair competition, implementing a centralized age verification system, and imposing strict penalties for violations. Notable features include mandatory age documentation, medical examinations for discrepancies using advanced methods, uniform penalties—with a two-year ban for first violations and lifetime bans for second offenses—and a whistle-blower mechanism for anonymous reporting. An amnesty program will allow athletes to self-disclose correct ages without penalties, facilitating fair classifications.

A two-tier appellate mechanism for age determination disputes will allow athletes to first appeal to the Regional Appellate Panel and then to the Central Appeals Committee (CAC), whose decision is final.

Integrity/Compliance Officers appointed by National Sports Federations (NSFs) will verify age documentation, oversee compliance, prevent age fraud, and report violations. A centralized digital portal will securely store athletes’ age verification data, ensuring compliance with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023. Athletes will receive QR-enabled ID cards for event participation, while a monitoring framework overseen by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports will ensure compliance. States/UTs can adopt the provided framework to promote uniformity. Public feedback is requested by 31.03.2025.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar