Sports Minister tables bill for cleaner, accountable sports governance

Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya introduced a landmark bill in the Lok Sabha aimed at overhauling the governance structure of sports administration in India on Wednesday.  The proposed National Sports Governance Bill is designed to promote transparency and strengthen accountability across national sports bodies, including the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), by placing them under the oversight of a regulatory framework. 

 

A key feature of the bill is the establishment of major institutional bodies such as the National Olympic Committee, National Paralympic Committee, National Sports Federations, and Regional Sports Federations, each responsible for governing various officially recognised sports disciplines in the country. 

 

The bill aims to support the overall development of sports, ensure the welfare of athletes, and foster a culture of integrity and fair play by encouraging ethical practices rooted in universally accepted principles of good governance. It also introduces a unified system for resolving disputes and addressing grievances within the sports ecosystem.

 

Notably, the bill proposes the creation of a comprehensive framework for ensuring administrative accountability. This includes standardizing the election procedures of sports federations, increasing athlete representation within their decision-making bodies, and setting up a dedicated national sports tribunal to handle disputes in a more structured and impartial manner.  National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill

 

In addition to the governance bill, Mandaviya also presented the National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill, 2025. This amendment addresses the concerns raised by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) regarding government involvement in the functioning of the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA), aiming to bring the agency into full compliance with international anti-doping standards