Landmark Sports Reform Bill Passed
In what is being hailed as a watershed moment for Indian athletics, the Lok Sabha has passed the long-awaited National Sports Governance Bill. Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya championed the legislation as the "single biggest reform in Indian sports since independence," designed to usher in a new era of accountability and transparency. The bill's passage is seen as a critical foundational step in strengthening the country's sports ecosystem as it prepares an ambitious bid to host the 2036 Olympic Games.
New Era of Accountability
The centerpiece of the new law is the creation of a powerful National Sports Board (NSB), which will serve as the primary regulatory body for all National Sports Federations (NSFs). Under the new system, recognition from the NSB will be mandatory for any federation seeking access to central government funding. This gives the board significant leverage to enforce good governance.
The NSB will have the authority to de-recognise any national sports body that fails to comply with its regulations. This includes failing to hold timely elections for its executive committee, committing "gross irregularities" in electoral procedures, or failing to publish annual audited accounts. Crucially, the board can also take action against federations found to have misused or misappropriated public funds, creating a stringent system of financial oversight that has been long overdue.
Streamlining Justice and Governance
Another key feature of the bill is the establishment of a National Sports Tribunal. This specialized body will have the powers of a civil court and will be the primary forum for resolving disputes within the sports world, ranging from athlete selection controversies to election challenges within federations. To ensure swift and final resolution, the tribunal's decisions can only be challenged in the Supreme Court.
In a significant move towards transparency, all recognized national sports bodies will now come under the purview of the Right to Information (RTI) Act. While a concession has been made for bodies that do not rely on government funding, such as the BCCI, this provision is expected to bring a new level of public scrutiny to the functioning of most federations. The bill also makes a slight adjustment to the age cap for administrators, allowing those between 70 and 75 to contest elections if permitted by their respective international sports bodies, a departure from the previous strict limit of 70.
Alongside the governance bill, an amendment to the National Anti-Doping Bill was also passed to ensure its compliance with the standards of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), further aligning India's sports framework with global best practices.
Bill Highlights
- Landmark Legislation: The Lok Sabha has passed the National Sports Governance Bill, described as the most significant sports reform in India since independence.
- Powerful New Regulator: The bill establishes a National Sports Board (NSB) with the power to grant or revoke the recognition of sports federations, linking it to government funding.
- Enhanced Accountability: The new law introduces a National Sports Tribunal for dispute resolution and brings sports federations under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
- Foundation for Olympic Bid: The reforms are a crucial part of India's strategy to build a world-class sports ecosystem in preparation for its bid to host the 2036 Olympic Games.
