India grapples with ‘endemic’ age-fraud menace in sports

India is struggling with a pervasive problem of age fraud in sports, particularly among wrestlers and cricket players. The issue stems from the country's chaotic system of birth registration and lack of a centralized database for athletes. Recently, 500 wrestlers were disqualified from the under-17 championships for age fraud, following a similar purge of 20 teams from the top football tournament.

Experts believe this issue is deeply ingrained in India's sporting culture, especially at the sub-junior and junior levels where the rewards are highest and scrutiny is lowest. A sports lawyer has aptly described age fraud as "endemic" to most age-group competitions in India. The potential benefits of age fraud, such as scholarships, sponsorships, and fame, are significant for those who can shave a few years off their actual age.

The BCCI has taken a lead in combating age fraud by implementing the TW3 method, which assesses skeletal maturity through X-ray of the left hand and wrist. However, experts argue that this method is not a silver bullet and can have limitations, such as unfair flagging of naturally early-maturing athletes. A proposed code by India's Sports Ministry aims to make age fraud harder to commit and more costly to attempt by creating a centralized, digitally locked database and combining various examinations.

The legal deterrence is crucial, but authorities must also ensure that young athletes are treated as victims and not the architects of age fraud.