MOSCOW, November 3 (RAPSI) – The lower house of Russian parliament, the State Duma, approved a bill introducing criminal punishment for doping offenses in its third and final reading on Thursday.

Under the draft law, coaches, doctors in sports medicine and other sports professionals would face fines of up to 300,000 rubles ($4,700) or in the amount of up to his or her 6-month income; or restriction of liberty for up to 1 year with deprivation of the right to hold specific posts and carry out specific activities for up to three years or without such measure for inducing athletes to use any prohibited substance.

Inducing to doping committed by a group of persons in collusion or with regard to two or more athletes or minors as well as with forcible pressure to use banned medicine would be punished with fines of up to 500,000 rubles ($7,800) or in the amount of up to a defendant’s one-year income; or restriction of liberty for up to 2 years; or imprisonment of up to 1 year with or without deprivation of the right to hold specific posts for up to 4 years.

Compulsion to use prohibited substances resulted in a sportsperson’s death or other heavy consequences would be punishable by limitation of freedom for up to 3 years;  correctional works for up to 3 years or prison sentence with or without deprivation of the right to hold specific posts for up to 5 years.

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin called for modernization of anti-doping legislation. Those who induce athletes to use prohibited medication have to be punished, Putin said.