National Sports Governance Bill

New Delhi – The Lok Sabha on Monday cleared the landmark National Sports Governance Bill, a key reform aimed at creating a transparent, accountable, and world-class sports administration system as India prepares to bid for hosting the Olympics. The bill was passed in the absence of the opposition, which was protesting over the revision of Bihar’s electoral rolls. Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya described the legislation, alongside the National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill 2025, as a vital step toward strengthening the country’s sports ecosystem to meet international standards. He noted that while sports have been an integral part of Indian heritage — often linked to warfare — post-independence, the sector did not receive the necessary focus. “Despite our size, India’s Olympic and global sporting performance has been below expectations. This bill aims to change that,” he said. Key Features of the Bill: The National Sports Governance Bill establishes a legal framework to regulate National Sports Federations (NSFs), ensuring fair governance, athlete protection, and administrative accountability. Its provisions include: Transparent governance standards for NSFs. Implementation of safe sport protocols and grievance redressal systems. Standardized election processes to avoid disputes. Measures to ensure gender diversity in leadership roles. Stronger athlete representation in decision-making bodies. Financial transparency and stricter oversight. One of its most notable provisions brings the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) under the NSF governance framework. Once enacted, the BCCI will be required to seek annual recognition, and its legal disputes will be handled by a new National Sports Tribunal. Neither the BCCI nor its affiliated state bodies will be able to directly approach courts for dispute resolution. The bill also tackles ten chronic issues in Indian sports administration, ranging from recurring litigation and lack of dedicated dispute resolution bodies to the absence of legal backing for safe sport mechanisms. Age & Tenure Provisions: Addressing long-standing debates, the bill permits office-bearers to complete their term even if they turn 70 during tenure. It also sets clear tenure rules — a maximum of three terms of four years each (12 years in total) — with a mandatory cooling-off period of one term before re-election if they have served three consecutive terms. This legislation, previously returned twice by the Cabinet and once by Parliament due to disagreements, now marks a significant policy win for the BJP-led NDA government. Source: Economic Times