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Hindustan Times
7 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
When cricket comes under State oversight
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will likely come under the purview of the National Sports Governance Bill, something that most people involved in managing India's most popular sport knew was inevitable once cricket became part of the Olympic movement. If this happens — and BCCI has time and again shown the ability to steer its own course — BCCI, which has long fought to stay autonomous, will come under government oversight, affecting its elections, office-bearer eligibility, and legal jurisdiction. It will also bring world cricket's most powerful federation under the RTI Act and set new age/tenure caps. All of these are welcome changes . But there is the unanswered question of how this will impact the workings of the world's richest cricket body, which unlike all the other National Sports Federations (NSFs) in the country, doesn't depend on government grants. Sure, BCCI will remain an autonomous body like all other NSFs but disputes, if any, will also come to the proposed National Sports Tribunal, which will become the dispute resolution body for sports matters ranging from elections to selection. Selection, for example, is always a subjective issue. In the past, people had no option but to buckle down and do better. Now, some might choose to go to the tribunal. Will government oversight interfere with the processes that have allowed the BCCI to dominate world cricket? Sporting federations have often been at loggerheads with the government and while the law is expected to help streamline things, it remains to be seen how the right balance between autonomy of BCCI and State oversight can be achieved.


Business Standard
23-07-2025
- Politics
- Business Standard
Sports Governance Bill 2025: How it will impact BCCI operations, elections
The central government is set to table the National Sports Governance Bill 2025 in Parliament, alongside the National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill, 2025, in the Lower House on Wednesday. The proposed legislation aims to bring the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) under its ambit, sparking discussions about how it may influence the board's operations and upcoming elections. BCCI to come under central govt oversight Once passed and enacted into law, the Sports Governance Bill will place the BCCI under the Centre's purview, classifying it as a National Sports Federation (NSF). Like all other federations, the BCCI will be required to apply for annual recognition. Additionally, ongoing and future legal disputes involving the board will be handled by the proposed National Sports Tribunal. Mandatory elections for continued recognition The BCCI must hold elections during its Annual General Meeting in September or October to appoint a new set of office-bearers. Failure to conduct elections could result in the government refusing to renew its annual recognition. Without this recognition, the BCCI would not be allowed to use the name 'India' in international events or host matches as the official national team. Why the bill imposes an age cap? Although the International Cricket Council (ICC) has no upper age limit for its officials, the Sports Governance Bill aligns with standards followed by global bodies like the International Olympic Committee (IOC), FIFA, and other international federations. It also incorporates the Justice Lodha Committee's recommendations, which are already part of the BCCI's constitution and impose a 70-year age limit on office-bearers. Can BCCI still amend its constitution? Yes. The BCCI retains the authority to amend its constitution. As it stands, the rules allow an office-bearer to serve one three-year term, followed by a mandatory cooling-off period of equal duration. After this interval, the individual may contest again. Any disputes arising from constitutional amendments will be addressed by the National Sports Tribunal, with only the Supreme Court empowered to review the tribunal's decisions.