The Parliament of India finally passed the National Sports Governance Bill after overcoming political deadlock to ensure that the entire fraternity should receive what Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya described as the “single biggest reform in Indian sports since independence.” He stressed on how the bill would create a transparent accountable world class sports management system. The next day the Sports Governance Bill and the National Anti Doping (Amendment) Bill passed in Rajya Sabha, further strengthening the integrity of sport and also bringing Indian regulations closer to the international norm, which is essential in the Indian desire to become a target of the 2036 Olympics Games.
What did Kalyan Chaubey say about the Bill?
The reforms had the backing of the entire sporting fraternity. PT Usha, who is the president of Indian Olympic Association termed the bill as the much needed thing that would help end decades of stagnation in administration of sports. In the meantime, the AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey commended ‘The Act because it gave a National Sports Board with powers to govern federations and a Tribunal to handle disputes in an expeditious manner and to curb the cases that go to court and thus to safeguard both sides, the athletes and the federations.’
What does the Bill aims at?
The bill, aimed at overhauling the governance of sports in India, will introduce fair elections, financial transparency, athlete commissions and 30 percent female representation in federations. It has also provided mechanisms of grievance redressal through formation of a centralized Sports Tribunal that provides timely justice.
Correspondently, the Anti Doping Amendment enhances independence of the National Anti Doping Agency, streamlines appeals, ensures that laboratories are accredited by WADA, and incorporates WADA defined terms into the Indian law, which are considerable measures to a clean and fair sport.
‘Big moment for Indian sports’
According to policymakers and administrators, these two bills amounted to a watershed moment in the history of sports in India because they changed the fragmented management system to a coherent one which is ethical and athlete centric. The introduction of these reforms with the aim of attracting the international sporting world, has resulted in a firm basis on transparency, equity and international competition.
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