The Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act was approved by the U.S. Senate on Monday, making it illegal to "intentionally influence (or attempt or conspire to influence) a major international sporting event through the use of prohibited substances or methods."

The law does not criminalize simple doping by individual athletes, but covers organized doping schemes or programs at international competitions in which Americans are involved as athletes, sponsors, or broadcasters.

The offense need not necessarily take place in the U.S., and this international reach of U.S. law has drawn criticism from the World Anti-Doping Agency as being "extraterritorial."

The law is named after Grigory Rodchenkov, former director of the Moscow Anti-Doping Institute, who whistleblowed on some of Russia's biggest doping scams to help athletes avoid positive tests during the 2014 Sochi Olympics. Rodchenkov also helped filmmaker Brian Fogel dope for European events in his escape from Russia, filmed in the Oscar-winning documentary Icarus.

The law imposes fines of up to $1 million and prison sentences of up to 10 years for those who participate in schemes aimed at influencing international sporting events through doping.

Although approved by the U.S. Senate, the law has not yet been enacted into law and must be signed by the President of the United States.

Travis Tygart, CEO of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, which famously pursued Lance Armstrong, described the passage of the bill as "a monumental day in the fight for clean sport worldwide."

"The legislation establishes criminal penalties for systems that perpetrate doping scams that rob athletes, citizens, and businesses. It also protects whistleblowers from retaliation and provides compensation to athletes defrauded by doping conspiracies. This is a momentous day in the fight for clean sport around the world, and we look forward to this law soon becoming law and helping to change the game for clean athletes for the better," Tygart said in a USADA statement.

WADA President Witold Banska, however, highlighted the inconsistencies in the law.

"We join stakeholders around the world in asking why this U.S. law, which purports to protect athletes and asserts jurisdiction abroad, specifically excludes the highly popular and influential professional and collegiate leagues," he said in a WADA statement.

"Nearly half a million athletes compete in U.S. college sports and thousands more in professional leagues. These leagues were originally included in the Act, but were subsequently removed without explanation. Why are the people surrounding the athletes in these associations and leagues now excluded from the coverage of this law?"

WADA accepted to cooperate with U.S. authorities on the implementation of this law.

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