India's Sports Governance Shake-Up: New Draft Bill Released

The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has released the Draft National Sports Governance Bill, 2024 for consultation. The bill aims to reform sports governance, ensuring ethical practices and athlete representation. It proposes a new regulatory board and commissions to enhance transparency and integrity in sports federations.

The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, led by Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, held a meeting on October 17 in New Delhi to discuss the Draft National Sports Governance Bill, 2024. Key attendees included representatives from the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), National Sports Federations (NSFs), and National Sports Promotion Organizations (NSPOs). This meeting focused on gathering inputs from various stakeholders regarding the proposed bill.

Public access to the draft bill aims to gather feedback and suggestions as part of the pre-legislative consultation process. The bill's objective is to foster sports development, welfare measures for athletes, and adoption of ethical practices, with a governance model based on universal principles of good governance, ethics, and fair play, aligning with international standards such as the Olympic Charter.

The bill outlines the creation of a Sports Regulatory Board of India to oversee sports federations' governance compliance. It mandates the establishment of Ethics and Dispute Resolution Commissions and emphasizes athlete representation through mandatory Athlete Commissions. This strategic framework aims to place India at the forefront of ethical sports governance on the global stage while promoting athlete participation in decision-making processes.

(With inputs from agencies.)