New Delhi, Mar 13 (PTI) Uniform penalties, amnesty scheme, and a whistle-blower mechanism are some of the key features of the Draft National Code Against Age Fraud in Sports (NCAAFS) which was released for public consultation by the Sports Ministry on Thursday.

The Draft NCAAFS 2025, which is a significant update to the existing framework, invites suggestions and comments from the general public till March 31.

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"The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has put in the public domain the Draft National Code Against Age Fraud in Sports (NCAAFS) 2025 for inviting comments/suggestions from the general public and stakeholders, as part of the consultation process," the ministry said in a statement.

"This addresses age fraud comprehensively, aiming to protect genuine athletes and uphold the integrity of sports competitions nationwide.

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"This revision has been undertaken almost after 15 years marking a significant update to the existing framework to ensure fair competition, ethical governance, and enhanced accountability in Indian sports."

The Draft Bill has 10 salient features, including Mandatory Age Verification & Digital Locking, Medical Examination for Age Discrepancies, Two-Tier Appellate Mechanism, Dedicated National Database and QR-Enabled ID Cards.

According to Draft NCAAFS, "Athletes found guilty on the first violation will face a two-year ban from all competitions, along with forfeiture of any titles or medals won.

"A second violation will result in a lifetime ban and initiation of legal proceedings under the penal code. Coaches and other officials found guilty will also face suspension and debarment from their roles," the statement said.

As part of the amnesty scheme, a one-time amnesty window of six months will be provided, "allowing athletes to voluntarily declare their correct age without penalties."

"Athletes who participate in this amnesty program will undergo a performance review and subsequently be reassigned to the appropriate age group," the ministry said.

There will also be a Whistle-blower Mechanism where "a secure and confidential platform will be created for stakeholders to report cases of age fraud anonymously.

"Additionally, a reward system will be implemented to encourage and incentivise whistle-blowers to come forward with genuine reports."

There will also be a Two-tier Appellate Mechanism to "handle disputes related to age determination" and a "centralised digital portal linked with the National Sports Repository System (NSRS) will be established to securely store all age verification data of athletes."

The draft also says "athletes will receive ID cards embedded with QR codes" after verification.

"These ID cards will be made accessible digitally through the DigiLocker platform and must be presented mandatorily for participation in all sporting events," the statement said.

"A robust monitoring framework will be established to ensure effective implementation of the Code."

As per the draft Bill, "all athletes must submit three mandatory documents during the registration process. Upon verification, the athlete's age will be securely recorded in a centralized digital database, permanently locking their verified age to prevent any future manipulations."

Also for cases involving age discrepancies, "medical examinations will utilize the TW3 method, MRI scans, and general physical and dental examination.

"Further, AI-based bone assessments to accurately determine an athlete's age will be done in pilot phase. Any disputes arising from these examinations may be appealed through designated appellate medical panel for further review."

The Bill will be applicable to "all athletes, coaches, officials, administrators, and support personnel involved in recognized National Sports Federations (NSFs), Sports Authority of India (SAI), Sports Control Boards managed by Central Government departments and Central Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) and NGOs, NSPOs, public/private agencies, and institutions promoting sports development."

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