Indian Golf Premier League in January
A IGU delegation met the Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and the Union Minister of Tourism and Culture, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, for a fruitful discussion to promote golf at the grassroots level apart from hosting the league.
'Through IGPL we will scout and nurture golf talent,' said the IGU Director, Bibhuti Bhushan.
The IGU aspires to make golf more accessible, especially for thousands of school and college students, over the next three years.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Deccan Herald
38 minutes ago
- Deccan Herald
Parliament green signals Sports Bill
The National Sports Governance Bill was on Tuesday passed by the Parliament, with Rajya Sabha giving its nod a mere 24 hours after Lok Sabha, marking a historic first for India's sports administration that is now set to be regulated by a national board and have its own dispute resolution mechanism. The National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill, which reinforces NADA's autonomy as required by the World Anti-Doping Agency, was also passed by the Parliament. The two bills now await presidential assent to be notified as acts. Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya moved the bills for consideration and passage in the Upper House at 3 pm. 'In 20 countries, there is sports law. I request the Rajya Sabha to make India the 21st country with a sports law,' Mandaviya said in his address, which was followed by a discussion that lasted over two hours. During the discussion, BJD MP Subhashish Khuntia raised concerns about the centralisation of sports governance due to the bill. He also felt that the bill did not have clarity on the district and block-level development of athletes. 'The bill should empower, not control,' he said. Mandaviya responded by saying that the government is only seeking to be a facilitator. 'In this bill, we are bringing transparency, not control, not interference. Government doesn't want to control. We are being the supporters and providers of a structure,' he asserted. Former All India Football Federation President and NCP leader Praful Patel was among the prominent voices who lauded the bill. 'It was a long-standing legislation that was required. We have had a sports code — it's been a loose code and never stood any legal scrutiny. What is happening today is the need of the hour,' Patel said.'We are hoping to win the 2036 bid of Olympics. That itself would be a redefining moment for Indian sports. This bill is absolutely in the right direction. We need this to achieve glory that is beyond cricket. It is imperative that this bill be passed with fullest support.' The most striking aspect of the bill is that the NSB is to create a stringent system of accountability. The NSB will have the mandate to de-recognise a national body that fails to hold elections for its Executive Committee or has committed 'gross irregularities in the election procedures.' Failure to publish annual audited accounts or 'misused, misapplied or misappropriated public funds' would also be liable for action by the NSB, but it would be required to consult the concerned global body before making its move. Another feature is the proposal for a National Sports Tribunal, which will have the powers of a civil court and decide disputes ranging from selection to election involving federations and athletes. Once instituted, the Tribunal's decisions can only be challenged in the Supreme Court. The bill makes some concessions on the issue of age cap for administrators by allowing those in the bracket of 70 to 75 to contest elections if the concerned international bodies' statutes and by-laws allow for it. It is a departure from the national sports code that capped the age limit at 70. All recognised national sports bodies would also come under the ambit of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, something that the BCCI has vehemently opposed since it is not dependent on government funding. However, the cricket board has got some leeway on that front with the government amending the bill to ensure that RTI would be applicable only on bodies that rely on government funding or support. Another significant amendment made to the draft is the mandatory term of two tenures in the EC to be eligible for fighting NSF elections.
NDTV
5 hours ago
- NDTV
National Sports Governance Bill To Be Implemented Within Next Six Months: Mansukh Mandaviya
Its passage through Parliament achieved smoothly, the landmark National Sports Governance Bill will be implemented within the next six months and preparatory work like "drafting of rules and identification of infrastructure" has already started, Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya told PTI on Wednesday. In his first interview after the passing of the bill in both houses, Mandaviya also justified as "standard safeguard" the bill's provision that gives government discretionary power to "impose reasonable restrictions" on international participation of Indian teams and individual athletes under "extraordinary circumstances". "This bill will be implemented as soon as possible. Within the next six months, all procedures will be completed to ensure 100 per cent implementation," Mandaviya said in the exclusive interaction at his residence. The passing of the bill makes India the 21st country to have a sports law. Implementation of its most significant provisions would require the setting up of a National Sports Board (NSB), which would provide affiliation to National Sports Federations (NSFs), a National Sports Tribunal (NST) for dispute resolution and a National Sports Election Panel (NSEP) to oversee NSF elections. "Creation of posts and other administrative approvals will follow established procedures of the Department of Personnel and Training and the Department of Expenditure," Mandaviya said "The aim is to ensure that both institutions (NSB and NST) are fully functional at the earliest possible date consistent with statutory and procedural requirements," he added, while reiterating that the bill is "the single biggest reform in sports since independence". The bill has been largely supported by the NSFs as well as athletes. The Indian Olympic Association, which was at first skeptical, has also backed it after extensive discussions with the minister. Standard safeguards With the passing of the bill, the unsaid understanding of the government having the final say on India's participation in international events has been formalised. This is an issue that crops up mostly when arch-foes Pakistan are involved in times of high border tensions as has been the case since this year's Pahalgam terror attack. Mandaviya said the government discretion in the bill has not been codified with any particular country in consideration. "The provision empowering the government to stop international participation is a standard safeguard seen in sports laws globally, intended for use in extraordinary circumstances," Mandaviya said. "It covers situations such as national security threats, diplomatic boycotts, or global emergencies, and is not directed against any particular country. "In practice, decisions regarding sporting engagements with Pakistan have been shaped by broader government policy and security assessments, particularly after major incidents affecting bilateral relations," he added. He cited the absence of bilateral cricket between the two countries since the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks as a case in point. "...full senior men's cricket tours to Pakistan have not taken place since the 2008 Mumbai attacks, and high-profile matches have often been moved to neutral venues. Such decisions are taken on a case-by-case basis in consultation with the Ministry of External Affairs and security agencies. "The Act formalises the government's ability to act decisively and lawfully in such situations, while ensuring that any decision remains consistent with India's commitments under the Olympic Charter and the statutes of relevant international sporting bodies," he said. "This reflects the Modi government's clarity in protecting national interest while upholding global sporting obligations." Speaking about the challenges that he faced during the consultative stage of the bill, Mandaviya said he took it upon himself to clear doubts with extensive presentations for all stakeholders on the nitty-gritties of the document. "The first major challenge was the fragmented legal landscape, with over 350 ongoing sports-related court cases that had stalled governance in many National Sports Federations. "The second challenge was balancing the demand for autonomy, as required under the Olympic Charter and International Federation statutes, with the need for public accountability and transparency," he explained. "The third challenge was addressing the wide variation in operational capacity, professionalism, and resources across different federations and state associations," he said. Mandaviya said consensus was achieved through more than 60 rounds of structured discussions, including plenary meetings, one-on-one engagements, and a Chintan-Shivir with stakeholders such as state sports ministers from all over the country. "I gave an entire day to NSF representatives, an entire day to athletes, coaches. I gave presentations to explain each and every clause of the bill. I explained to them why I think the clauses were needed. I did not impose, I asked for their feedback. "I told them that they should tell me what kind of bill they wanted, what kind of governance they wanted," he said. "Not just that, I also consulted sports lawyers in the High Court and the Supreme Court. All the suggestions were duly taken into consideration. I also went through each and every one of the 600 public suggestions," he added. A prominent name with whom Mandaviya consulted was former sports minister and Congress leader Ajai Maken, who prepared the draft sports bill in 2011 but could not push it beyond cabinet consultation. "In 2013, honourable Ajay Maken ji brought this bill to the cabinet but it could not be passed. It was because the moment the bill mentioned good governance in federations, vested interests within NSFs, especially those with political background, were against coming under any kind of governance scrutiny," he said. Athletes wanted representation Asked about the specific demands put forth by athletes during his interaction with them, Mandaviya said, "They wanted representation. Women athletes wanted representation, they asked where are we? And it was a legitimate question given that women athletes have been doing well consistently." The bill ensures that at least four women and two athletes of outstanding merit will have to be a part of any NSF's Executive Committee, the overall strength of which has been capped at 15. Confident that India's sporting landscape will go through a positive transformation due to the new law, Mandaviya said next on the agenda is a medal strategy to bring India into the list of top five global performers in the next two decades. "In the coming days, we will bring in a sports medal strategy. It would create the roadmap to figure where we should be in five years, next 25 years. What should be the planning for this. "Athlete is a part of society and sports is a people's movement," he said.
India Today
7 hours ago
- India Today
National Sports Bill to be implemented within six months: Mansukh Mandaviya
Its passage through Parliament was achieved smoothly, the landmark National Sports Governance Bill will be implemented within the next six months and preparatory work like "drafting of rules and identification of infrastructure" has already started, Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya told PTI on his first interview after the passing of the bill in both houses, Mandaviya also justified as "standard safeguard" the bill's provision that gives government discretionary power to "impose reasonable restrictions" on international participation of Indian teams and individual athletes under "extraordinary circumstances".advertisement"This bill will be implemented as soon as possible. Within the next six months, all procedures will be completed to ensure 100 percent implementation," Mandaviya said in the exclusive interaction at his residence. The passing of the bill makes India the 21st country to have a sports law. Implementation of its most significant provisions would require the setting up of a National Sports Board (NSB), which would provide affiliation to National Sports Federations (NSFs), a National Sports Tribunal (NST) for dispute resolution and a National Sports Election Panel (NSEP) to oversee NSF elections."Creation of posts and other administrative approvals will follow established procedures of the Department of Personnel and Training and the Department of Expenditure," Mandaviya said."The aim is to ensure that both institutions (NSB and NST) are fully functional at the earliest possible date consistent with statutory and procedural requirements," he added, while reiterating that the bill is "the single biggest reform in sports since independence".The bill has been largely supported by the NSFs as well as athletes. The Indian Olympic Association, which was at first skeptical, has also backed it after extensive discussions with the SAFEGUARDSWith the passing of the bill, the unsaid understanding of the government having the final say on India's participation in international events has been is an issue that crops up mostly when arch-foes Pakistan are involved in times of high border tensions, as has been the case since this year's Pahalgam terror attack. Mandaviya said the government discretion in the bill has not been codified with any particular country in consideration."The provision empowering the government to stop international participation is a standard safeguard seen in sports laws globally, intended for use in extraordinary circumstances," Mandaviya said."It covers situations such as national security threats, diplomatic boycotts, or global emergencies, and is not directed against any particular country."In practice, decisions regarding sporting engagements with Pakistan have been shaped by broader government policy and security assessments, particularly after major incidents affecting bilateral relations," he cited the absence of bilateral cricket between the two countries since the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks as a case in senior men's cricket tours to Pakistan have not taken place since the 2008 Mumbai attacks, and high-profile matches have often been moved to neutral venues. Such decisions are taken on a case-by-case basis in consultation with the Ministry of External Affairs and security agencies."The Act formalises the government's ability to act decisively and lawfully in such situations, while ensuring that any decision remains consistent with India's commitments under the Olympic Charter and the statutes of relevant international sporting bodies," he said."This reflects the Modi government's clarity in protecting national interest while upholding global sporting obligations."Speaking about the challenges that he faced during the consultative stage of the bill, Mandaviya said he took it upon himself to clear doubts with extensive presentations for all stakeholders on the nitty-gritties of the document."The first major challenge was the fragmented legal landscape, with over 350 ongoing sports-related court cases that had stalled governance in many National Sports Federations."The second challenge was balancing the demand for autonomy, as required under the Olympic Charter and International Federation statutes, with the need for public accountability and transparency," he explained."The third challenge was addressing the wide variation in operational capacity, professionalism, and resources across different federations and state associations," he said consensus was achieved through more than 60 rounds of structured discussions, including plenary meetings, one-on-one engagements, and a Chintan-Shivir with stakeholders such as state sports ministers from all over the country."I gave an entire day to NSF representatives, an entire day to athletes, coaches. I gave presentations to explain each and every clause of the bill. I explained to them why I think the clauses were needed. I did not impose, I asked for their feedback."I told them that they should tell me what kind of bill they wanted, what kind of governance they wanted," he said."Not just that, I also consulted sports lawyers in the High Court and the Supreme Court. All the suggestions were duly taken into consideration. I also went through each and every one of the 600 public suggestions," he added.A prominent name with whom Mandaviya consulted was former sports minister and Congress leader Ajai Maken, who prepared the draft sports bill in 2011 but could not push it beyond cabinet consultation."In 2013, honourable Ajay Maken ji brought this bill to the cabinet but it could not be passed. It was because the moment the bill mentioned good governance in federations, vested interests within NSFs, especially those with political background, were against coming under any kind of governance scrutiny," he WANTED REPRESENTATIONAsked about the specific demands put forth by athletes during his interaction with them, Mandaviya said, "They wanted representation. Women athletes wanted representation, they asked where are we?" And it was a legitimate question given that women athletes have been doing well consistently."The bill ensures that at least four women and two athletes of outstanding merit will have to be a part of any NSF's Executive Committee, the overall strength of which has been capped at that India's sporting landscape will go through a positive transformation due to the new law, Mandaviya said next on the agenda is a medal strategy to bring India into the list of top five global performers in the next two decades."In the coming days, we will bring in a sports medal strategy. It would create the roadmap to figure where we should be in five years, next 25 years. What should be the planning for this."Athlete is a part of society and sports is a people's movement," he said.- EndsMust Watch
