Answer

Introduction 

The National Sports Governance Bill 2025, introduced in the Lok Sabha on 23 July 2025, aims to overhaul India’s fragmented sports governance system. With over 56 National Sports Federations, the bill seeks to ensure transparency, efficiency, and athlete-centric justice through a dedicated board and tribunal system.

Key Provisions of the National Sports Governance Bill 2025

• Establishment of National Sports Board (NSB): The NSB will function as a regulatory authority to supervise all sports federations, including BCCI.
  Eg: NSB will act like SEBI in sports, with oversight over all National Federations.
• Creation of National Sports Tribunal (NST): NST will resolve disputes involving selection, elections, and athlete complaints with appeal to the Supreme Court.
  Eg: Similar to FIFA’s reliance on the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), ensuring expert judgment.
• Independent Budget and Staffing Powers for NSB: NSB will recruit legal, auditing, and investigative experts to ensure thorough oversight.
• Mandatory Registration and Standardisation: All sports bodies must register with NSB, aligning operations under common rules and data systems.
• Age Limit for Administrators: The Bill proposes to raise the age limit for sports administrators to 75 years.
• Proposed Inclusion of BCCI: The Bill may bring BCCI, currently outside formal recognition, under NSB regulation.

This Bill responds to deep-rooted problems in India’s sports sector. Below are the major challenges it seeks to address.

Challenges that the Bill Seeks to Resolve

• Central Regulatory Authority: The National Sports Board (NSB) will act as a statutory body with its own budget and expert staff for regulatory oversight.
• Legal Disputes: The National Sports Tribunal (NST) is equipped  with domain experts for quick, fair, and specialised resolution of disputes.
• Reduced Opaqueness in  Selections: NSB mandates standardised selection criteria and transparent evaluation processes across federations.
  Eg: Public disclosure norms will help avoid bias, enabling deserving athletes to access trials and reviews.
• Defined Age and Tenure in Sports Bodies: The proposed uniform age limit brings clarity in  tenure norms for administrators.
• Institutional Grievance Redressal: A clear three-tier redressal system i.e. internal resolution, tribunal appeal, and Supreme Court access reduced prolonged disputes.
  

Conclusion 

The National Sports Governance Bill 2025 is a landmark step toward transparent, inclusive, and athlete-first governance. By institutionalising accountability, enabling expert dispute resolution, and aligning with global practices, it lays the foundation for a more mature sporting ecosystem in India.

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