
BCCI Under RTI: Long-Stalled Sports Bill To Be Tabled Today, Likely To Clear Parliament
Despite not receiving government funding, the BCCI, like other national sports bodies, will have to comply with regulations set out by the sports ministry once the bill is enacted
Union sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya is set to introduce the highly anticipated National Sports Governance Bill, 2025, in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. The legislation, focused on athlete welfare and systemic reform, represents a significant step towards transparency and accountability in Indian sports governance.
A key provision of the bill is to bring all national sports bodies, including the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005. This long-debated and previously resisted move is expected to finally become law, ending years of delay and political pushback. A previous attempt during the UPA era by then sports minister Ajay Maken failed due to opposition within his own party.
Despite not receiving government funding, the BCCI, like other national sports federations, will be required to comply with the regulations set out by the sports ministry once the bill is enacted. This is particularly significant as the Indian cricket team prepares to compete at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, which will place the BCCI within the framework of a national sports federation.
'It wasn't easy to bring the BCCI on board, but extensive dialogue was held between lawmakers and the BCCI top brass to ensure their cooperation," a source involved in the legislative process told CNN-News18. 'The government's intent is clear: to instill accountability and transparency across all sports federations in the country."
Once enacted, the bill will mandate all recognised sports bodies to comply with the RTI Act, opening up access to decision-making processes, financial records, and governance structures to the public.
The National Sports Governance Bill, 2025, aims to overhaul the Indian sports ecosystem through a series of structural reforms, including legal clarity, gender equality, athlete empowerment, and enhanced public oversight. More than just a legal framework, the bill signals the dawn of a new era where athletes are not just competitors but active stakeholders in India's sporting future.
India's sports sector has long been plagued by controversies such as mismanagement, opaque elections in sports federations, and poor athlete representation. With over 350 court cases pending across federations, the judiciary has consistently urged the government to legislate a comprehensive governance structure.
Efforts to introduce such a bill date back to 2011, but progress was repeatedly blocked by legal challenges, shifting political priorities, and unresolved court interventions. The Delhi High Court's endorsement of the 2011 Sports Code and pending litigations around the 2017 draft further stalled momentum.
Officials believe that beyond governance reform, the bill will also contribute to employment generation, better protection for athletes—especially women and minors—and a more ethical, competitive, and globally aligned sporting culture in India.
First Published:
July 23, 2025, 01:42 IST
Latest News
Bangladesh Air Force's F-7 BGI that crashed was a Chinese copy of the MiG-21
Breaking News
Sports
BCCI Under RTI: Long-Stalled Sports Bill To Be Tabled Today, Likely To Clear Parliament
Cricket
Harmanpreet's Century, Gaud's 6-Fer Help IND Beat ENG, Clinch ODI Series 2-1
Hollywood
Benny Blanco Posts Selena Gomez's Sleeping Pics On Her Birthday: 'Never Waking U Up'
news
DOJ Seeks Meeting With Epstein's Ex Ghislaine Maxwell, Donald Trump Calls It An "Appropriate" Move
latest news
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Mint
19 minutes ago
- Mint
Sourav Ganguly supports India–Pakistan match at Asia Cup 2025: ‘Pahalgam should not happen but…'
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly has come out in support of the India-Pakistan clash at the Asia Cup. Ganguly — who has also previously served as BCCI president — stated that while India must take a strong stance against terrorism, sport must continue. Speaking to news agency ANI, Ganguly said, 'I am okay. The sport must go on. At the same time, Pahalgam should not happen, but the sport must go on. Terrorism must not happen; it needs to be stopped. India took a strong stance towards terrorism... Sport needs to be played.' The tournament is all set to begin on 9 September and will end with the final on 28 September. While India are the official hosts of the Asia Cup, the T20 event will be held in the UAE as part of the agreement between India and Pakistan to play their multilateral matches at neutral venues. India and Pakistan are in the same group at the Asia Cup along with UAE and Oman. Meanwhile, Group B consists of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Hong Kong. The two teams being in the same group means they will clash at least twice in the tournament — once in the group stage and again in the Super 4s. A third face-off is also possible if both teams qualify for the final. Notably, the decision to play between India and Pakistan at the Asia Cup came shortly after a World Championship of Legends match between India Champions and Pakistan Champions was called off after some India players refused to participate in the contest. Former India cricketer Shikhar Dhawan had also posted a public statement on why he would not feature in the contest, stating, "Jo kadam 11 May ko liya, uspe aaj bhi waise hi khada hoon. Mera desh mere liye sab kuch hai, aur desh se badhkar kuch nahi hota. (I stand by the decision I took on May 11. My country is everything for me and nothing is bigger than the country)" Meanwhile, ACC Chairman and Pakistan Cricket Board President Mohsin Naqvi announced the dates for the multilateral tournament earlier in the month in a post on X. He wrote, 'This year marks yet another milestone in ACC's journey… This will be Asia Cup at its finest,'
&w=3840&q=100)

Business Standard
19 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Indian forces would have captured PoK if they had more time: Akhilesh Yadav
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday congratulated the Indian forces for their bravery during Operation Sindoor and said they would have even captured Pakistan Occupied Kashmir if they had more time. Talking to reporters in the Parliament complex, Yadav said that while the government talks about Pakistan to garner votes, China is the real threat. "We congratulate the forces for their bravery during Operation Sindoor and the kind of situations they face. If they had more opportunity, perhaps they would have even taken Pakistan Occuped Kashmir," Yadav said. The Samajwadi Party chief questioned why the terrorists responsible for the Pahalgam attack were still at large. "Where did the terrorists disappear?" he asked. Stating that China is a bigger threat than Pakistan, he urged the Union government to bring a policy to ban import of goods from China. "The government should decide to put a ban on imports from China for 10 years. They should make a plan to adopt Swadeshi," he said, adding, "They talk about Pakistan because they want votes, but the real danger is from China. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Time of India
19 minutes ago
- Time of India
Shashi Tharoor May Keep 'Maunvrat' During Op Sindoor Debate. Rift With Cong or Strategic Silence?
Will Shashi Tharoor speak in Parliament during the Operation Sindoor, Pahalgam attack discussion? The Congress MP triggered more rumours by saying he will maintain 'maunvrat', or silence, in Parliament. As the Lok Sabha debates Operation Sindoor and the Pahalgam terror attack, Tharoor, known for backing the Centre's muscular foreign policy, has chosen a vow of silence. Sources say the Congress high command reached out to him to speak, but he refused. Is it political defiance? Or a quiet protest against a party that's increasingly uncomfortable with his support for PM Modi's stand on Pakistan? Tharoor was earlier picked to lead an all-party delegation on Operation Sindoor and faced heat from within Congress ever since. His refusal to toe the party line, and praise for India's military, is adding to speculation about a growing rift.#shashitharoor #operationsindoor #maunvrat #congressrift #modiforeignpolicy #parliamentdebate #indiafirst #pahalgamattack #bjpvscongress #tharoorsilence #nationalsecurity #rahulgandhi #pmmodi #indianpolitics #toi #toibharat #bharat #trending #breakingnews #indianews