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India Today
23-07-2025
- Politics
- India Today
National Sports Bill vs National Sports Code: What's the difference?
In a landmark move to reform sports governance in India, the Union Government on Wednesday introduced the National Sports Governance Bill, 2025 in the Lok Sabha. The bill, once enacted, is expected to replace the existing National Sports Development Code of India (2011), ushering in a new era of transparency, accountability and institutional oversight in Indian sports the 2011 Sports Code served as a guiding framework for good governance, it lacked the legal backing needed to enforce critical reforms. The new bill aims to fill that gap with several key departures from the code, including the creation of statutory bodies and revised eligibility norms for sports Differences: Sports Code vs Sports Bill1. From Guidelines to Law The Sports Code was essentially a set of executive guidelines issued by the Sports Ministry. In contrast, the Sports Bill is a formal piece of legislation. Once passed, it will carry legal authority and make governance norms enforceable through statutory mechanisms.2. Age and Tenure RelaxationUnder the Sports Code, the age limit for office-bearers was capped at 70. The new bill allows those under 70 at the time of filing nominations to complete their terms. It also introduces a five-year relaxation if permitted by international federation terms of tenure, the code allowed the President to serve three terms, with a mandatory cooling-off period after two. The new bill permits three consecutive terms, up to 12 years, for the President, Secretary General and Treasurer, followed by a cooling-off period before becoming eligible for election to the Executive Committee again.3. Greater RepresentationThe 2011 Code had no mandatory provision for gender or athlete representation. The bill requires at least four women and two athletes of outstanding merit in the Executive Committee of National Sports Federations (NSFs), increasing inclusivity and athlete voice in decision-making.4. Independent Regulatory BodiesOne of the most significant changes is the establishment of three new statutory institutions:National Sports Board, which will oversee the functioning and compliance of NSFsNational Sports Tribunal, to handle disputes related to governance and athlete issuesNational Sports Election Panel, to ensure fair and transparent elections in sports bodiesThese bodies are designed to reduce ministerial overreach and address long-standing issues of internal politics, mismanagement and election Long Road to ReformThe introduction of the bill is the result of more than a decade of efforts to clean up Indian sports governance. The reform journey began in 2011, when then Sports Minister Ajay Maken introduced the first Draft National Sports Development Bill, which faced strong opposition from within the political and sports establishment due to its strict age and tenure the following years, multiple attempts were made to revise and reintroduce the bill. These included:A 2013 draft released for public comments, which was not pursued 2017 Draft Code for Good Governance in Sports, prepared by a committee under Sports Secretary Injeti Srinivas, with members like Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra and international athletes Anju Bobby George and Prakash Padukone.A 2019 expert committee led by Justice (Retd.) Mukundakam Sharma, which was stayed by the Delhi High Court and remains inactive due to ongoing October 2024, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports released the Draft National Sports Governance Bill for public feedback. The government received more than 700 responses from athletes, federations, legal experts, private sports bodies and international stakeholders including the IOC, FIFA, World Athletics and the International Hockey Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, who oversaw the final consultation process, acknowledged the contribution of Ajay Maken, stating that the former Congress minister "did good work in shaping the National Sports Code, 2011." Mandaviya noted that the new bill builds on that foundation but gives it stronger enforcement Comes NextOnce passed by Parliament, the National Sports Governance Act will replace the 2011 code and establish a comprehensive legal framework for sports governance in India. The bill is expected to bring Indian sports administration in line with global best practices, similar to countries like the United States, United Kingdom, China and Japan, all of which have formal sports laws in India emerging as a growing sporting power on the global stage, the bill could mark a turning point in ensuring that the country's athletes receive the support, transparency and professionalism they deserve.- EndsMust Watch
Time of India
23-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
National Sports Bill: How it's different from National Sports Code
Live Events The Journey The differences with Sports Code: (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel With the introduction of the National Sports Governance Bill in Lok Sabha on Wednesday, India has taken a big step towards joining powers like the USA, UK, China, and Japan which have laws in place for streamlined administrative bill, once it becomes an act, will complete a journey that started back in 2011 when the then Sports Minister Ajay Maken began his push for a legislation to set some benchmarks for the sports mostly long-serving administrators were and still are often accused of indulging in power struggles, infighting, financial misappropriation and showing a distinct lack of intent to overcome any of these with the new bill, accountability will be in place through a National Sports Board , a National Sports Tribunal and the National Sports Election of this took shape over months of dialogue that current Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya undertook with stakeholders, soon after taking charge last the bill was finalised, Mandaviya gave due credit to Maken, his political opponent from the Congress party, for "doing good work in shaping the National Sports Code , 2011" which was in operation till now."The National Sports Development Code of India, 2011 established good governance practices for sports bodies, essential for healthy development of sports in the country," stated the objectives of the new a look at the timeline of how the code turned into a bill with significant changes.*In 2011, the Ministry prepared Draft National Sports Development Bill and placed it before Cabinet for approval. However, it was met with vehement opposition due to strict capping of age and tenure for administrators.*In July 2013, the Ministry prepared a revised Draft National Sports Development Bill and placed it in public domain to invite suggestions and comments. However, this Bill was not pursued and a year later, the Delhi High Court upheld the Sports Code 2011.*In 2015, a Working Group was constituted for re-drafting of National Sports Development Code, 2011. But the inclusion of Indian Olympic Association top brass in this group was challenged in the Delhi High Court as a case of conflict of interest.*In 2017, a Committee was constituted under then sports secretary Injeti Srinivas, to prepare the '(Draft) National Code for Good Governance in Sports , 2017'. Olympic gold medal-winning shooter Abhinav Bindra, and other sports greats like Anju Bobby George, and Prakash Padukone, along with then then IOA head Narinder Batra were among the members in the Draft Sports Code was also challenged in the Delhi High Court, which ordered that committee's report be submitted to it in a sealed cover.*In 2019, the Ministry constituted an Expert Committee under Justice (Retd.) Mukundakam Sharma to review the Draft Sports Code 2017 and "suggest measures for making it acceptable to all the stakeholders".That same year, the Delhi High Court stayed the constitution of this committee, an order that is in effect till date.*In October 2024, the Draft National Sports Governance Bill was released to the public for comments and suggestions. There were extensive consultation sessions held with the IOA, the National Sports Federations, athletes, coaches, legal experts and even private bodies that are involved in athlete management. The bill was also shared with the International Olympic Committe and International Federations including World Athletics, FIFA, and the International Hockey Federation (FIH) among ministry received "over 700 responses" as part of the feedback from various stakeholders, including general public before it finally made its way to the Parliament.*Age Cap: While the Sports Code capped the age of administrators at 70, the new bill allows an office-bearer to complete his/her tenure if they were less than 70 at the time of filing nominations. A further relaxation of another five years has been made for contesting elections if the international statutes and byelaws allow for it in the concerned sports body.*Tenure: The Sports Code allowed three terms with a cooling off period after two terms for the President and two terms for Treasurer and Secretary. The new sports bill allows office-bearers (President, Secretary General and Treasurer) to serve three consecutive terms of a maximum of 12 years and remain eligible for election to the Executive Committee after a cooling off period."This has been done to ensure continuity and also to keep competent people within the system," a sports ministry source said.*Executive Committee: The sports code had no provision for mandatory women's representation in the committee whose strength was capped at 15. The new bill mandates that at least four members of the EC must be women along with two sportspersons of outstanding merit.*Regulatory Body: The sports code had no provisions for a regulatory body to oversee NSFs, leaving the power to recognise or derecognise in the hands of the sports ministry. But the sports governance bill outlines the creation of a National Sports Board which will fulfill this role.*The National Sports Tribunal, which will adjudicate sporting disputes, the National Sports Election Panel to oversee polls in NSFs and the Ethics Commission were not a part of the Sports Code. All these bodies will have a significant role to play once the bill becomes an act.
News18
23-07-2025
- Politics
- News18
BCCI's Rajeev Shukla Stays Mum On Sports Governance Bill: 'We Will Study And..'
Rajeev Shukla, BCCI VP, said they will review the National Sports Governance Bill before commenting. Rajeev Shukla, vice-president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), stated that they would first review the National Sports Governance Bill, which is scheduled to be presented in Parliament on Wednesday, before sharing his views on it. Sources from the Sports Ministry revealed on Tuesday that the proposed National Sports Governance Bill 2025, expected to be tabled during the monsoon session of Parliament, aims to include the BCCI under its jurisdiction. Although the BCCI does not rely on government funding, its inclusion in the bill was anticipated, especially in light of the Indian cricket team's planned participation in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. What BCCI Is Not Under Sports Code? The BCCI is registered under the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act, 1975 and oversees all aspects of cricket in India, both domestically and internationally. Currently, the BCCI does not fall under the 45 recognised National Sports Federations. Should the Indian cricket board come under the bill's scope, it might also be subject to the Right to Information (RTI) Act. The bill is designed to establish a legal framework for the transparent and fair operation of sports bodies, making athlete representation mandatory in decision-making processes. It seeks to ensure quick dispute resolution through the Sports Tribunal and fair and transparent elections via the election panel. Officials mentioned that the government's role will be that of a facilitator, not a controller. view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Delhi HC allows new office-bearers to take charge at RFI
Pune: Balaji Maradappa, a former rower and coach, has taken over as president of the Rowing Federation of India after the Delhi High Court allowed the results of the national body's elections held last year to be declared and the new set of office-bearers to take charge. Maradappa, who was treasurer in the previous administration, took over from Rajlaxmi Singh Deo, who served as president for three terms. He tallied 36 votes against 14 by rival candidate Harpal Singh. Subhashish Mukherjee won the contest for the secretary's post with a 35-15 win against Rajpal Singh; Chiranjit Phukan beat Rajiv Sharma 37-11 for the treasurer's position. You Can Also Check: Pune AQI | Weather in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune "We are fully compliant with the Sports Code now. I have already had a meeting with the CEO and officials in SAI and the sports ministry. They have asked us to present a programme for ACTC (Annual Calendar for Training and Competition), because for more than a year things have not moved," said Maradappa, who is from the Tamil Nadu state association. "They have assured all the required support. 'Work towards winning medals for the country at the Asian Games and Olympics', is the message from them all." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Heads Turn as Walgreens Shoppers Discover 87¢ ED Pills fridayplans Learn More Undo With the stringent rules of age and tenure limit under the sports code being extended to the state associations, some stalwart administrators have been asked to go. "Ramalinga Reddy of the Karnataka rowing association was barred because he was 70 years and three months. He is the state transport minister, he had helped build a beautiful (rowing) facility," Maradappa said. The Delhi Rowing Association had filed a petition in the Delhi HC early last year, seeking a stay on the elections citing RFI's non-compliance with the National Sports Code of 2011 as well as the ruling of a Division bench of the Delhi HC in the Rahul Mehra vs the Union of India case in August 2022. In response, the RFI brought to the court's attention that the petitioner itself was in violation of the Sports Code, prompting the court to allow the elections to go ahead on February 25, 2024, but with the ballot boxes to remain sealed. The court also asked the then set of office-bearers to continue to be in-charge till further orders and make the RFI code-compliant. In their latest order dated July 2nd, Justices Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya, Chief Justice, and Tushar Rao Gedela noted that the grievances of the DRA were relevant but keeping the results of the elections in abeyance indefinitely was "not conducive either to the institutions or the democratic values". "It is in the interest of administration of any institution, that too in a democratic setup like ours, to ensure that a duly elected body is in place to manage and administer the affairs of the institution," the judges wrote. "... keeping in view that the petitioner itself was, concededly, not eligible to participate in the elections ... coupled with the fact that more than one and half year has already passed since the elections were held, it does not appeal to reason as to why the result of the elections should not be declared and why the elected body should not be handed charge." The judges added that "the results of such election would be subject to the outcome of the present writ petition" as well as the Supreme Court's final verdict in the case involving the All India Football Federation. Shahrukh Ejaz, advocate in the Delhi HC for RFI, said the federation was confident about the final verdict as it had completed the compliance process. "We have also shared the new charter with the state associations and all of them except three associations have complied and provided an affidavit to that effect," he said. The three non-compliant units are Goa, Delhi and Manipur, Ejaz said.
News18
18-06-2025
- Politics
- News18
AITA Members Call EC Meet After President Seeks Court To Void Election Results
Last Updated: AITA president Anil Jain asked the Delhi High Court to nullify the September 2024 federation elections, prompting irate Executive Committee members to call a meeting on June 27. All India Tennis Association (AITA) The All India Tennis Association (AITA) president, Anil Jain, who faced a no-confidence motion by state associations last year, has requested the Delhi High Court to declare the federation elections held in September 2024 null and void. This has led to irate Executive Committee members calling for a meeting on June 27. One of the affiliated units of the AITA alleged that Jain had used his position for personal gains. The no-confidence motion was withdrawn before the AGM that elected a new body. However, the election results remained sealed in court due to a petition by Somdev Devvarman and Purav Raja challenging the validity of the polls, leaving the newly-elected office bearers outside the system. In response to the same petition, Jain, in his prayer filed on May 26, requested the court to declare the AITA elections null and void but urged it not to appoint a Committee of Administrators (CoA), citing potential objections and adverse reactions from the ITF (world governing body) and the ATF (Asian body), which would hinder AITA's functioning. Jain's prayer stated that the constitution could be amended, and AITA's efficient functioning could be ensured under the court's supervision by the present management. However, the EC members claimed that Jain did not consult them before filing the reply on behalf of the Federation. 'Such a reply needed EC concurrence. He can't just go and file it in court like this. EC has to pass a resolution first. He is trying to disqualify all other members," Hironmoy Chatterjee, who issued the EC meeting notice, told PTI. 'As of today, unauthorized people are running the organisation," Chatterjee added. Jain told PTI that he did not need to consult anyone. 'I am still President of AITA. They did not consult me when they filed a writ against the Secretary General. They have a vested interest. I did not agree with the election process, so I did not file my nomination. They did not follow the tenure guidelines of the Sports Code," Jain said. 'AITA should comply with the Sports Code. It is fair. The EC meeting they have called is also illegal. The Secretary General has not called it, and I have not been consulted about it," he said. 'They had brought that no-confidence motion against me on filthy and baseless grounds." The AITA constitution states that the Secretary General can convene meetings of the Central Council and Executive Committee with the president's consent. Chatterjee, who is also president of the Bengal Tennis Association (BTA), explained that the constitution also empowers EC members to call a meeting if the Secretary General does not do so within a month of receiving a written requisition from three members. 'We can call an EC meeting. Clause 8 (d) (iii) of AITA Rules and Regulations empowers us to do that," Chatterjee, who is also AITA vice president (Sports), said. When Secretary General Anil Dhupar was approached, he admitted that such a rule empowers members to call for a meeting, but it should be under 'normal circumstances". 'As of today, the matter is sub-judice, so I told them it is advisable to take the court's direction before calling an EC meeting," Dhupar told PTI. The EC meeting notice, issued on June 16, clarified that it would discuss the role of the Secretary General as per the AITA Constitution. Dhupar has attained the age of 70, and the Sports Code does not allow office bearers to remain in office beyond that. 'Recently, the BCCI appointed an interim president after Roger Binny attained the age of 70. So Mr Dhupar should also quit," said another EC member.
