The Lok Sabha on Monday passed the National Sports Governance Bill Bill amid absence of opposition protests over revision of Bihar electoral rolls. Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday said the National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill 2025 and the National Sports Governance Bill were key reforms aimed at building a transparent, accountable and world-class sports ecosystem in India as the country eyes a bid for hosting the Olympics.
Speaking during a discussion in the Lok Sabha, the minister said, "At the highest level of excellence by international standards."
He added, "In the coming days, when India is going to bid for the Olympics, it is important that our sports ecosystem is robust, transparent and accountable. This is a crucial step in that direction."
The minister said sports have been a part of Indian tradition "for centuries, often in the form of warfare", but after independence, the sector did not receive the attention it deserved.
"Despite being such a large country, our performance at the Olympic Games and on the international stage has not been satisfactory and this Bill aims to build India's sports capacity," he said.
What is the Sports Governance Bill?
The landmark legislation is aimed at establishing a legal framework to ensure transparent and fair functioning of National Sports Federations (NSFs), while also enhancing athlete protection through safe sport protocols and grievance redressal systems.
The bill seeks to promote sports ethics, safeguard athletes’ interests, and resolve administrative disputes through a standardized governance structure for NSFs.
This legislative step marks a significant achievement for the BJP-led NDA government. The governance bill had earlier been returned twice by the Cabinet and once by Parliament due to lack of consensus.
One of the most striking provisions in the bill is that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the private governing body for cricket will be recognised as an NSF, and be subject to the same governance framework.
The BCCI, like all federations, will be required to seek annual recognition once the bill becomes law. All its ongoing and future legal disputes will be handled by the newly proposed National Sports Tribunal.
As per the bill, neither the BCCI nor its affiliated state associations will be allowed to approach courts directly in case of disputes.
Post its scheduled elections in September, the board will have to apply for recognition from the upcoming National Sports Board, even though it does not receive government funding.
Core Issues Addressed
The bill is designed to tackle 10 persistent issues in Indian sports administration:
Further, the bill also addresses long-debated issues concerning age and tenure limits for office-bearers of NSFs. It allows officials, including presidents, secretary generals, and treasurers, to serve their full term even if they cross the age of 70 during their tenure.
If a person is elected to a position just before turning 70 (for instance, at 69 years and 364 days), they will be permitted to complete their full term.
Regarding tenure, the bill proposes: “The president, secretary and treasurer shall be eligible for election to the executive committee after a cooling-off period of one term, provided they have held the position for the last three consecutive terms. A term shall not be of more than four years which will be a total of 12 years (three terms of four year each).”
Speaking during a discussion in the Lok Sabha, the minister said, "At the highest level of excellence by international standards."
He added, "In the coming days, when India is going to bid for the Olympics, it is important that our sports ecosystem is robust, transparent and accountable. This is a crucial step in that direction."
The minister said sports have been a part of Indian tradition "for centuries, often in the form of warfare", but after independence, the sector did not receive the attention it deserved.
"Despite being such a large country, our performance at the Olympic Games and on the international stage has not been satisfactory and this Bill aims to build India's sports capacity," he said.
What is the Sports Governance Bill?
The landmark legislation is aimed at establishing a legal framework to ensure transparent and fair functioning of National Sports Federations (NSFs), while also enhancing athlete protection through safe sport protocols and grievance redressal systems.
The bill seeks to promote sports ethics, safeguard athletes’ interests, and resolve administrative disputes through a standardized governance structure for NSFs.
This legislative step marks a significant achievement for the BJP-led NDA government. The governance bill had earlier been returned twice by the Cabinet and once by Parliament due to lack of consensus.
One of the most striking provisions in the bill is that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the private governing body for cricket will be recognised as an NSF, and be subject to the same governance framework.
The BCCI, like all federations, will be required to seek annual recognition once the bill becomes law. All its ongoing and future legal disputes will be handled by the newly proposed National Sports Tribunal.
As per the bill, neither the BCCI nor its affiliated state associations will be allowed to approach courts directly in case of disputes.
Post its scheduled elections in September, the board will have to apply for recognition from the upcoming National Sports Board, even though it does not receive government funding.
Core Issues Addressed
The bill is designed to tackle 10 persistent issues in Indian sports administration:
- Recurring litigation related to NSF elections and athlete selections.
- Absence of a dedicated dispute resolution body.
- Weak athlete representation in governing bodies.
- Gender imbalance in leadership roles.
- Non-uniform electoral processes.
- Financial opacity and mismanagement.
- Lack of internal grievance redressal frameworks.
- Court delays affecting sporting events.
- No legal status for safe sport mechanisms.
- Limited enforceability of existing code provisions.
- Clarifying Misconceptions.
Further, the bill also addresses long-debated issues concerning age and tenure limits for office-bearers of NSFs. It allows officials, including presidents, secretary generals, and treasurers, to serve their full term even if they cross the age of 70 during their tenure.
If a person is elected to a position just before turning 70 (for instance, at 69 years and 364 days), they will be permitted to complete their full term.
Regarding tenure, the bill proposes: “The president, secretary and treasurer shall be eligible for election to the executive committee after a cooling-off period of one term, provided they have held the position for the last three consecutive terms. A term shall not be of more than four years which will be a total of 12 years (three terms of four year each).”
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