Contents
1Short title#
This Act is the Sport Legislation Amendment (World Anti-Doping Code Implementation) Act 2026.
2Commencement#
(1)Each provision of this Act specified in column 1 of the table commences, or is taken to have commenced, in accordance with column 2 of the table. Any other statement in column 2 has effect according to its terms.
| Commencement information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
| Provisions | Commencement | Date/Details |
| 1. Sections 1 to 3 and anything in this Act not elsewhere covered by this table | The day this Act receives the Royal Assent. | 26 October 2026 |
| 2. Schedule 1 | The later of:(a) 1 January 2027; and(b) 28 days after this Act receives the Royal Assent. | 1 January 2027(paragraph (a) applies) |
Note: This table relates only to the provisions of this Act as originally enacted. It will not be amended to deal with any later amendments of this Act.
(2)Any information in column 3 of the table is not part of this Act. Information may be inserted in this column, or information in it may be edited, in any published version of this Act.
3Schedules#
Legislation that is specified in a Schedule to this Act is amended or repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this Act has effect according to its terms.
Schedule 1 · Amendments implementing World Anti-Doping Code changes
Part 1 · Review of therapeutic use exemptions
National Sports Tribunal Act 2019#
1 Subsection 5(1)
Insert:
NAD scheme has the same meaning as in the Sport Integrity Australia Act 2020.
therapeutic use exemption has the same meaning as in the NAD scheme.
2 Subsection 22(3)
Repeal the subsection, substitute:
Parties to arbitration—disputes other than therapeutic use exemption disputes
(3)The parties to the arbitration, other than an arbitration of a dispute referred to in subsection (3A):
(a)must include:
(i)the person; and
(ii)the Sport Integrity Australia CEO; and
(b)if the application is under subsection (1)—may include any other person or body:
(i)that is permitted by the anti-doping policy to participate in a hearing of a dispute of that kind; and
(ii)that advises the National Sports Tribunal in writing that the person or body wishes to be a party to the arbitration; and
(c)if the application is under subsection (2)—may include any other person or body:
(i)that is specified in the agreement mentioned in paragraph (2)(f) as being permitted to participate in a hearing of a dispute of that kind; and
(ii)that advises the National Sports Tribunal in writing that the person or body wishes to be a party to the arbitration.
Parties to arbitration—therapeutic use exemption disputes
(3A)If the dispute relates to a refusal by the Australian Sports Drug Medical Advisory Committee, under the NAD scheme, to grant a person a therapeutic use exemption—the parties to the arbitration:
(a)must include:
(i)the person; and
(ii)the Chair of the Committee; and
(b)may include any other person or body:
(i)that is permitted by the anti-doping policy to participate in a hearing of the dispute; and
(ii)that advises the National Sports Tribunal in writing that the person or body wishes to be a party to the arbitration.
3 Application provision
Section 22 of the National Sports Tribunal Act 2019, as amended by this Schedule, applies in relation to a dispute commencing on or after 1 January 2027.
Sport Integrity Australia Act 2020#
4 Section 4 (definition of ASDMAC review member)
Repeal the definition.
5 Section 51A (paragraph beginning “This Part continues”)
Omit “, ASDMAC primary members, and ASDMAC review members”, substitute “and ASDMAC primary members”.
6 Paragraph 53(b)
Omit “members;”, substitute “members.”.
7 Paragraph 53(c)
Repeal the paragraph.
8 Subsection 56(2A)
Repeal the subsection.
9 Paragraph 56(3)(b)
Omit “member; or”, substitute “member.”.
10 Paragraph 56(3)(c)
Repeal the paragraph.
11 Subsection 65(1A)
Omit “any or all”, substitute “either or both”.
12 Paragraph 65(1A)(b)
Omit “members;”, substitute “members.”.
13 Paragraph 65(1A)(c)
Repeal the paragraph.
14 Subsection 65(2)
Omit “(other than ASDMAC review members)”.
15 Subsection 65(2A)
Repeal the subsection.
16 Subsection 65(3)
Omit “or (2A)(a)”.
17 Subsection 65(4)
Omit “or (2A)”.
Part 2 · Imposition of consequences by Sport Integrity Australia
Sport Integrity Australia Act 2020#
18 Section 4
Insert:
assertion means a declaration made by the CEO under the NAD scheme that there has been an anti-doping rule violation by an individual.
consequence, in relation to an assertion, anti-doping rule violation or possible violation, means any of the following:
(a)disqualification;
(b)ineligibility;
disqualification, in relation to an assertion or anti-doping rule violation, means invalidating an athlete’s results in a particular sporting competition and requiring the forfeiture of any medals, points or prizes arising from that competition, on account of the assertion or violation.
financial sanction, in relation to an assertion or anti-doping rule violation, means a fine on account of, or the recovery of costs associated with, the assertion or violation.
19 Section 4 (definition of ineligibility)
After “ineligibility”, insert “, in relation to an assertion or anti-doping rule violation,”.
20 Section 4 (definition of ineligibility)
Omit “on account of an anti-doping rule violation”, substitute “on account of the assertion or violation”.
21 Section 4
Insert:
provisional suspension, in relation to an anti-doping rule violation or possible violation (the violation), means being barred on account of the violation from participating in any competition or other activity as provided in Article 10.14 of the World Anti-Doping Code, prior to a final resolution at first instance of any matter relating to the violation.
22 After paragraph 13(1)(j)
Insert:
(jaa)authorise the CEO to impose a provisional suspension on an athlete, support person or non-participant (the person), in relation to a possible anti-doping rule violation, if the imposition is in accordance with an anti-doping policy of a sporting administration body to which the person is bound and:
(i)the person and the CEO have agreed to the provisional suspension; or
(ii)the possible violation is that a non-specified substance (within the meaning of the World Anti-Doping Code) was present in the person’s system; or
(iii)the possible violation is that the person used a non-specified substance or a non-specified method (within the meaning of the World Anti-Doping Code); and
(jab)authorise the CEO to lift a provisional suspension referred to in subparagraph (jaa)(ii) or (iii); and
(jac)authorise the CEO to impose a disqualification, financial sanction or period of ineligibility on an athlete, support person or non-participant (the person), in relation to an assertion, if:
(i)the imposition is in accordance with an anti-doping policy of a sporting administration body to which the person is bound; and
(ii)the person and the CEO have agreed that the person has violated the anti-doping rule the subject of the assertion; and
(iii)the person and the CEO have agreed to the imposition; and
23 Paragraphs 13(1)(ja) and (k)
Repeal the paragraphs, substitute:
(ja)authorise the CEO to provide advice to sporting administration bodies regarding the consequences imposed in relation to such assertions or possible anti-doping rule violations; and
(k)authorise the CEO to present:
(i)such assertions or possible violations; and
(ii)additional information, including any consequences imposed, or that the CEO considers should be imposed, in relation to such assertions or possible violations;
at hearings of the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the National Sports Tribunal and other sporting tribunals; and
24 Paragraph 13(1)(m)
After “assertions”, insert “or possible violations”.
25 Section 19AA
Omit:
If the CEO becomes aware that an athlete, support person or non-participant has been sanctioned by a sporting administration body in relation to an anti-doping rule violation, the CEO must generally include certain information in the Violations List in relation to the violation.
substitute:
If a consequence is imposed on an individual, the CEO must generally include certain information in the Violations List in relation the individual and the anti-doping rule violation to which the consequence relates.
26 Section 19AA
Omit “about the person”, substitute “about the individual”.
27 Subsection 19A(2)
Repeal the subsection, substitute:
(2)If a consequence is imposed on an individual and:
(a)the time within which any appeal in relation to the consequence may be instituted has expired, and no such appeal has been instituted; or
(b)any appeal in relation to the consequence has been completed; or
(c)the athlete, support person or non-participant has waived their right to any appeal in relation to the consequence;
the CEO must, within 20 days of becoming aware of a matter covered by paragraph (a), (b) or (c), include in the Violations List the information required by subsection (3).
28 Subsection 19A(3)
Omit “an anti-doping rule violation”, substitute “the anti-doping rule violation to which the consequence relates”.
29 Paragraph 19A(3)(e)
Repeal the paragraph, substitute:
(e)the consequences imposed.
30 Subsection 19A(5)
Omit “an anti-doping rule violation”, substitute “the anti-doping rule violation”.
31 Subsection 19A(6)
Omit “an anti-doping rule violation”, substitute “the anti-doping rule violation”.
Part 3 · Violations list
Sport Integrity Australia Act 2020#
32 After subsection 19A(2)
Insert:
(2A)If the CEO becomes aware that:
(a)an athlete, support person or non-participant participated in a competition or other activity as provided in Article 10.14 of the World Anti-Doping Code, while subject to a provisional suspension imposed in relation to an anti-doping rule violation or possible violation; or
(b)an athlete, support person or non-participant participated in a competition or other activity or funding as provided in Article 10.14 of the World Anti-Doping Code, while subject to a period of ineligibility imposed in relation to an assertion or anti-doping rule violation;
the CEO must, within 20 days of becoming so aware, include in the Violations List the information required by subsection (3).
33 Subsection 19A(5)
Omit “subsection (2)”, substitute “subsections (2) and (2A)”.
34 After paragraph 19A(5)(ab)
Insert:
(ac)there is a final determination that the individual who committed the anti-doping rule violation:
(i)did not know or suspect, and could not reasonably have known or suspected even with the exercise of utmost caution, that the individual had used or been administered a prohibited substance (within the meaning of the World Anti-Doping Code), or had used a prohibited method (within the meaning of that Code), or otherwise violated the anti-doping rule (as the case requires); and
(ii)if the violation is that a prohibited substance (within the meaning of the World Anti-Doping Code) was present in the individual’s system—has established how the substance entered their system; or
35 After subsection 19A(5)
Insert:
(5A)In considering whether to include information in the Violations List where an individual is covered by paragraph (5)(a), (aa) or (ab), the CEO must consider the following:
(a)whether the inclusion of the information is in the best interests of the individual;
(b)whether the inclusion of the information is in the public interest.
(5B)In considering whether to include information in the Violations List where an individual is covered by paragraph (5)(ac), the CEO must consider the following:
(a)whether the individual has consented to the inclusion of the information;
(b)whether the identity of the individual is already in the public domain in relation to the anti-doping rule violation;
(c)whether the inclusion of the information is in the public interest.
Part 4 · Miscellaneous
Sport Integrity Australia Act 2020#
36 Section 4 (paragraph (a) of the definition of athlete)
Omit “or who has at any time in the last 6 months competed in sport”.
37 Section 4 (definition of International Standard)
After “technical documents”, insert “or technical letters (within the meaning of the World Anti-Doping Code)”.
38 Paragraph 13(1)(a)
Omit “, or who have at any time in the last 6 months competed in sport,”.
[Minister’s second reading speech made in—
House of Representatives on 17 September 2026
Senate on 15 October 2026]
(127/26)
Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at legislation.gov.au, © Commonwealth of Australia, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Compilations may have been reformatted.