India, March 13 -- To address the issue of age fraud and ensure fair competition in Indian sports, the sports ministry on Thursday invited the general public and also stakeholders to provide suggestions by March 31 on the Draft National Code Against Age Fraud in Sports (NCAAFS) as part of their consultation process.

The draft seeks to address age fraud comprehensively, protect genuine athletes and uphold the integrity of competitions. This revision was undertaken almost after 15 years, marking a significant update to the existing framework.

"The code aims to implement a robust verification system for age determination through a centralised database, introduce strict penalties for athletes, coaches, and officials found guilty of falsifyi...