Why Mansukh Mandaviya believes National Sports Governance Bill is a game changer
The National Sports Governance Bill aligns with the recently unveiled National Sports Policy and aims to overhaul the functioning of sports organisations. It proposes bringing all national sports federations under the RTI Act. The BCCI, which had raised strong objections back in 2011, has reserved its stance. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia has been quoted as saying that the board will study the bill's implications and decide a course of action.As per the bill, all sports associations would be subject to audits by the CAG. A national sports association president, who did not wish to be named, expressed concern about it, remarking: 'The government should audit the funds it provides, but it often leaves us to secure funding independently. If they want audits, they must first take full financial responsibility for sports.'The bill proposes an autonomous National Sports Board to regulate federations, grant recognition, ensure compliance and manage funding and governance. To prioritise the cause of athletes, the bill mandates the formation of athletes' committees in every National Sports Federation (NSF) to provide inputs on policy-making. Additionally, every federation's executive committee must include at least two eminent players and four women to ensure gender diversity.To address the growing number of court cases stemming from federation disputes, the bill proposes a National Sports Tribunal, to be chaired by a retired Supreme Court judge or high court chief justice. The tribunal's decisions can only be challenged in the Supreme Court. A National Sports Election Panel, including former election commissioners, will oversee fair elections to sports federations and their affiliated units. The formation of Ethics Committees and Dispute Resolution Committees will be mandatory for all sports organisations to ensure ethical governance and swift conflict resolution.advertisementThe bill caps the executive committee of sports organisations at 15 members, with a minimum age of 25. Candidates for top posts, such as president or general secretary, must have a background as players or in sports administration. An age limit of 70 years (extendable to 75 in specific cases) and a tenure cap of 12 years are proposed. Only recognised sports organisations can use terms like 'Bharat' or 'India' in their team names or national symbols, subject to obtaining a no-objection certificate from the Sports Board.Last month, the government launched the Khelo Bharat Niti 2025, a bold new National Sports Policy (NSP). Replacing the previous policy introduced in 2001, Khelo Bharat Niti outlines an ambitious vision: make sports a nationwide movement with broad-based public participation. It also seeks to integrate sports with social development, economic progress, tourism and education, recognising the multifaceted benefits of a robust sports ecosystem.advertisementThe NSP rests on five pillars. The first of these is global excellence. Under this, the government aims to not only bid for the 2036 Olympics but also position India among the top-performing sporting nations by then. A major hurdle, however, is India's historically modest Olympic record. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, the country finished 71st in the medals tally, securing just six medals.The question then: can India bridge this gap in time? Mandaviya, in a conversation with INDIA TODAY, outlines the strategy to achieve global excellence. 'We've set bold targets: hosting the 2036 Olympics, clinching a Top 10 spot in the medals tally, and ranking among the top five sporting nations by 2047,' he says.'We are working on a plan to identify and develop talent from an early stage. For this, leagues and other competitions will be promoted in both rural and urban areas. Efforts will be made to continuously improve performance by adopting sports science, sports psychology, medicine and technology,' he adds.But can these lofty goals be achieved? A former top official of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), speaking anonymously, says: 'Such ambitious schemes have been introduced in the past as well, but they have not proven to be effective on the implementation front. The government launched the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), which needs to be reviewed to assess how effective it has been. The development of Indian sports often gets entangled in bureaucracy and the internal politics of federations.'advertisementResponding to these concerns, Mandaviya assures: 'Wherever a goal has been set in the new policy, a clear roadmap to achieve it has also been outlined. The sports ministry has prepared this policy in collaboration with all stakeholders, who will play an active role in its successful and effective implementation. Everyone, including the states, is on the same page. We are confident about its success.'The new policy includes provisions to ensure that financial constraints do not hinder the development of sports. It introduces initiatives such as 'Adopt an Athlete', 'Adopt a District', 'Adopt a Venue', 'One Corporate-One Sport', and 'One PSU-One Sport'. Explaining the idea behind these measures, a senior sports ministry official says: 'The sports minister previously served as Union health minister. During his tenure, he launched a scheme under the TB-Free India campaign that encouraged the corporate sector and the general public to adopt TB patients. The success of that initiative inspired the inclusion of similar models in the new sports policy.'advertisementMandaviya has already held a roundtable in New Delhi with representatives from 40 major corporate houses in the country. In this meeting, the government received an encouraging response from corporate India. Puneet Dalmia, managing director of Dalmia Cement India, expressed his company's interest in developing district-level sports schools.The 2025 sports policy is a major leg-up from its predecessor. It allows Indian-origin athletes living abroad, such as those holding OCI (Overseas Citizenship of India) cards, to represent India in international sports, provided it is feasible and beneficial for the national team. The policy also emphasises on integrating sports with education by aligning it with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, and including sports in the school curriculum.The bill also envisions positioning the country as a manufacturing hub for sports goods. In 2022, India ranked as the 22nd largest exporter of sports goods globally. About 60 per cent of sports goods made in India are exported. In 2023-24, the country's sports goods exports were worth $523 million (Rs 4,600 crore approximately). Sports goods are exported to 150 countries, including the US, UK, Australia and European countries.There are apprehensions among sports bodies about political interference and governmental overreach in the name of regulation. Mandaviya dismisses such talk. 'The government's goal is to make India a global sporting powerhouse. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has often underlined sports as a soft power. Both the government and other stakeholders want India to continuously move forward in terms of sports and related infrastructure. In such a situation, there is no basis for the apprehensions of increasing government interference in the future,' he says.The game has certainly changed. Now, the real test lies in navigating the complex dynamics between the government and sports federations. All eyes will be on whether this ambitious reform can overcome historical challenges and pave the way for a new chapter in Indian sports.Subscribe to India Today Magazine- Ends
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