National Sports Governance Bill 2025
The National Sports Governance Bill 2025 was introduced in India’s Parliament to improve transparency and accountability in sports administration. It targets national sports bodies including the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The bill aims to establish a robust regulatory framework to govern sports federations and promote athlete welfare.
Purpose and Objectives
The bill seeks to enhance governance in Indian sports by enforcing transparency and ethical practices. It focuses on athlete welfare, fair play, and integrity. The legislation intends to resolve long-standing issues such as opaque election processes and weak athlete representation. It aims to create a culture of good governance based on universally accepted principles.
Institutional Structure
The bill mandates the formation of key bodies like the National Olympic Committee, National Paralympic Committee, National Sports Federations (NSFs), and Regional Sports Federations. Each body will govern specific recognised sports disciplines. This structure is designed to streamline administration and promote consistent standards across all sports.
Dispute Resolution Mechanism
A feature of the bill is the creation of a National Sports Tribunal. This tribunal will be the exclusive forum for resolving disputes related to elections, selections, and other administrative matters within sports federations. It will reduce litigation in courts and expedite grievance redressal.
Governance Reforms
The bill standardises election procedures for sports bodies and increases athlete representation in decision-making roles. It addresses gender imbalance in leadership positions and mandates internal grievance redressal systems. It also introduces financial transparency requirements to curb corruption and mismanagement.
Impact on BCCI and Other Federations
The BCCI will come under the bill’s regulatory scope as a National Sports Federation. It must seek annual recognition from the National Sports Board and comply with governance standards. The bill clarifies that BCCI remains autonomous and is not government-controlled. However, all disputes involving the BCCI will be handled by the National Sports Tribunal, barring direct court intervention.
Age and Tenure Provisions
The bill relaxes age and tenure limits for office bearers in NSFs. Officials over 70 can complete their current terms. It permits up to three consecutive four-year terms with a one-term cooling-off period before re-election. This provision balances experience with leadership renewal.
Complementary Anti-Doping Legislation
Alongside the governance bill, the National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill, 2025 was introduced. It aligns the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) with World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) standards. The amendment ensures independent operation of disciplinary and appeals panels to maintain global compliance.
Addressing Challenges in Indian Sports
The bill tackles ten major problems – frequent litigation, lack of dispute forums, poor athlete representation, gender imbalance, inconsistent elections, financial opacity, absence of grievance systems, court delays, lack of safe sport recognition, and limited enforceability of codes. It aims to create a transparent, accountable, and fair sports ecosystem.
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