In a major step towards sports reforms, the Modi government has introduced the Draft National Sports Governance Bill, 2024 for public consultation. This Bill aims to promote sports, athlete welfare, and ethical sporting conduct by means of good governance, institutional capacity building, and conformity with international norms.
According to the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, unlike the 2013 Draft National Sports Development Bill, the 2024 Sports Bill lays emphasis on building institutional capacity and governance standards for National Sports Federations [NSF] in alignment with the Olympic and Paralympic Charter.
“…to establish institutional capacity and prudential standards for the governance of sports federations that are based on basic universal principles of good governance, ethics and fair play of the Olympic and sports movement, the Olympic Charter, the Paralympic Charter, international best practices and established legal standards,” a point in the Bill reads.
The draft proposes the creation of a central regulatory entity [Sports Regulatory Board] to award recognition to National Sports Federations (NSFs) and monitor compliance with governance, financial, and ethical guidelines.
“The Sports Regulatory Board of India shall be a body corporate by the name aforesaid, having perpetual succession and a common seal, with power subject to the provisions of this Act, to acquire, hold and dispose of property, both movable and immovable, and to contract, and shall, by the said name, sue or be sued,” the Bill states about the proposed Board.
This Board will be entrusted with the task of regulating the governance of the NOC, the NPC, NSFs, RSFs and their affiliated units to ensure “transparency, accountability, and integrity in the management and administration of sports.”
“The Board will ensure compliance with governance standards, protect athlete welfare, and handle recognition and enforcement, shifting these duties from the ministry to an independent body for more streamlined and transparent regulation,” Sports Secretary Sujata Chaturvedi and public policy professional Aatman Shah wrote in an article published in Hindustan Times explaining the provisions and benefits of the proposed bill.
Another important provision of the Bill is the establishment of an Appellate Sports Tribunal to expedite sports-related disputes. As per the Bill, this Tribunal will have the same powers as are vested in a civil court under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, to discharge its functions under this Bill while dealing with matters like “summoning and enforcing the attendance of any person and examining him on oath; requiring the discovery and production of documents; receiving evidence on affidavit, calling for any public record or document or a copy of such record or document, from any office, subject to the provisions of section 123 and 124 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872; issuing commissions for the examination of witnesses or documents; reviewing its decisions; dismissing an application for default or deciding it, ex parte; setting aside any order of dismissal of any application for default or any order passed by it, ex parte; and any other matter which may be prescribed.“
In addition, the Bill proposes the organisation of national sports governing bodies such as the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI), and NSFs to prevent exploitation. Moreover, the Bill also states mandatory provisions for ethical governance by setting up Dispute Resolution Commissions and Ethics Commissions. The Bill also listed certain provisions to be mandatorily incorporated in the constitution of the National Olympic Committee as well as the National Paralympic Committee.
The 2024 Sports Bill also provides representation and participation in policy-making by establishing an Athletes Commission with government financing and a ‘Safe Sports Policy’. The legislation also includes guidelines for recognising and regulating National Sports Promotion Organisations (NSPOs), the establishment of a dedicated appellate sports tribunal, and ad hoc Normalisation Committees.
The Bill also necessitates gender representation in Executive Committees and other governing bodies, guaranteeing that at least 30% of members be female. This is consistent with global trends in gender equality and inclusivity in sports. The bill also establishes a Sports Election Panel. The IOA/PCI/NSFs will enlist electoral officials to conduct free and fair elections on behalf of a Sports Election Panel.
With this Bill, the Modi government aims to connect India’s sports governance framework with global charters and best practices in order to develop an internationally acceptable structure for hosting international sporting tournaments.
