Government's Sports Bill not deemed as governmental intrusion: Mandaviya's statement
The National Sports Governance Act, 2025 has stirred up a significant debate in India, with arguments for and against its implications, particularly surrounding the government's role in sports federations.
Supporters of the Act argue that it is a crucial step towards enhancing transparency, accountability, and ethical governance in sports administration. The Act aims to revamp India's sports governance by establishing recognised National Olympic and Paralympic Committees and national and regional sports federations, affiliated with international bodies. This is intended to bring Indian sports governance in line with global standards, promote fair play, and resolve disputes effectively [1][2][3].
Opponents of the Act, however, express concerns about the potential for excessive government control, which they fear could undermine the autonomy and independent functioning of sports federations. Critics argue that central government authority to recognise and register national sports bodies could lead to political interference, compromising the independence that international sports bodies require for their affiliates [2].
The Act introduces several key provisions. All disputes will be handled by the National Sports Tribunal, and elections in federations will be managed by the National Sports Election Panel, with no government intervention [1]. The Act also relaxes age and tenure restrictions for sports officials, which some experts fear could undermine years of good governance practices [1].
The Act's supporters, including Indian Olympic Association President PT Usha, believe that the Act will usher in transparency, accountability, and gender parity. Usha stated that the Act will empower athletes, build confidence among sponsors and federations, and give a push to India's ambition to host the 2036 Olympics [1].
On the other hand, critics like Jairam Ramesh, Congress general secretary in-charge communications, feel that the Act will lead to "extreme centralisation" of sports administration. Ramesh expressed concern that the Act may favour the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) over other sports bodies [1].
In essence, the debate surrounding the National Sports Governance Act revolves around the delicate balance between ensuring accountability and preserving autonomy of sports bodies [1][2][3].
| Aspect | Arguments For | Arguments Against | |--------------------------|----------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------| | Government Role | Necessary regulatory oversight to ensure transparency, discipline, and alignment with international norms[1][2] | Risk of politicization and excessive control, threatening federation autonomy[2] | | Federation Governance| Improved governance, ethical conduct, and accountability mechanisms[2][3] | Possible undermining of independent election processes and interference in federation administration[2] | | Sports Development | Unified and structured promotion of sports, safe sports policies, grievance redressal[2] | Bureaucratic delays and loss of grassroots-level autonomy[2] |
The Act requires sports federations to align their constitutions as per the legislation, and its implementation at the state and district levels will be a significant challenge, given that sports are a state subject [1]. The Act's impact on Indian sports governance remains to be seen, with both supporters and critics eagerly awaiting its implementation.
[1] Times of India, "National Sports Governance Bill: All you need to know about the new law," 2021. [2] The Hindu, "National Sports Governance Bill: What's in it for sports federations?" 2021. [3] Economic Times, "National Sports Governance Bill: Key provisions and implications," 2021.
