National Sports Governance Bill, 2025

Prelims: Current events of national and international importance| Government policies and implementation.

Why in News?

Recently, the National Sports Governance Bill, 2025, was introduced in the Lok Sabha.

• Aim - To provide for the recognition of national sports bodies and regulate their functioning.
• National Sports Governing Bodies - The Bill provides for establishing
  1. National Olympic Committee,
  2. National Paralympic Committee, and
  3. National and Regional Sports Federations for each designated sport.
• These bodies will have affiliation with respective international bodies and will have affiliate units at state and district levels.
• Functions
  • Establish certain committees for their functioning,
  • Establish a code of ethics to govern conduct of persons such as members, affiliates, athletes, coaches, and sponsors, and
  • A grievance redressal mechanism for complaints from such persons.
• Administrative structure of national bodies - Every national sports body will have a general body, consisting of equal number of representatives from each affiliate member and certain ex-officio members.
• It will have an executive committee consisting of up to 15 members, with at least 2 outstanding sportspersons and 4 women.
• Eligibility for being a member in executive committee
  • The person must be aged between 25 years and 70 years, and
  • Must comply with international rules on age and term limits.
  • A person aged between 70 and 75 years may become a member if permitted by the international rules, and will serve for a full-term.
• Every national body will have a President, a Secretary General, and a Treasurer.
• National Sports Board- The Bill empowers the central government to establish a National Sports Board (NSB).
• NSB will grant recognition to the national sports bodies and register their affiliate units.
• NSB will consist of a chairperson, and a prescribed number of members.
• Only recognized bodies will be eligible to receive funds from the central government.
• The Board may suspend or cancel such recognition or registration, subject to specified conditions.
• Other functions
  • Issuing guidelines on code of ethics and compliance with international rules,
  • Inquiring into matters affecting welfare of sportspersons, sports development, and misuse of funds, and
  • Creating ad-hoc administrative body in case of loss of international recognition of a national body.
• National Sports Tribunal - To adjudicate sports related disputes.
• It will not have jurisdiction over specified disputes such as those in relation to games organized by international bodies and internal disputes of national sports bodies.
• Members - Chairperson - Sitting or former Judge of the Supreme Court or the Chief Justice of a High Court, and
• 2 members who are persons of eminence with experience in sports, public administration, and law.
• Oversight of elections - The central government will establish a national panel of electoral officers to oversee elections of national sports bodies.
• Powers of the central government - The central government may exempt a national body or its affiliates from any or all provisions of the Bill, if necessary, in public interest for promotion of that sport.

Reference

The Hindu| National Sports Governance Bill