NEW DELHI: The draft National Code against Age Fraud in Sports (NCAAFS) 2025—which introduces penal action for offenders and proposes AI-based bone assessments to verify athletes’ ages—is set to move forward, with the sports ministry planning to send it for Cabinet approval next week.
First released online for public feedback in March, the revised code comes after 15 years. A Sports Ministry official confirmed that while suggestions from the public were reviewed, the final version remains largely unchanged from the draft.
Age fraud has long plagued Indian sports, particularly at youth and junior levels, with overage athletes frequently competing despite existing medical checks.
Under the updated policy, all aspiring and registered athletes must submit three documents for age verification:
- Birth certificate
- Aadhaar/Voter ID/Passport/PAN card
- School Leaving or Matriculation Certificate
Verification will be carried out by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and National Sports Federations (NSFs).
Unlike the 2010 code, the new NCAAFS introduces strict penalties: a two-year ban for first-time offenders, and a lifetime ban plus FIR registration under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 for repeat violations.
Existing athletes will also have to submit their documents; if any are missing or appear suspicious, they must undergo medical examination. Once verified, an athlete’s age will be permanently stored in a tamper-proof database for their entire career.
The policy includes a one-time Amnesty Programme, allowing athletes to self-declare their correct age within six months of implementation without facing penalties, though they may be moved to the appropriate age category after performance review.
Age checks will use traditional TW3 bone-age assessment, MRI scans, dental and physical exams, and potentially AI-based tools like BoneXpert, which automatically analyses hand X-rays to determine bone age without human interference.
A whistleblower system will allow anonymous reporting of age fraud for a ₹5,000 fee, refunded—and rewarded with ₹2,000—if the complaint is verified.
