Lok Sabha Passes Sports Governance Bill: BCCI Now Under National Rules

The Lok Sabha has passed the National Sports Governance Bill, a landmark legislation aimed at ensuring fair and transparent functioning of National Sports Federations (NSFs) and protecting athletes through safety guidelines and dispute resolution mechanisms.

The bill sets uniform rules for the governance of sports bodies and also recognises the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) as a National Sports Federation. This means the BCCI will now be subject to the same governance rules as other NSFs and must seek annual recognition from the upcoming National Sports Board. Disputes involving the BCCI will be handled by the proposed National Sports Tribunal, and neither the BCCI nor its state associations will be able to approach courts directly.

Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya called this a major step towards building a transparent, accountable, and world-class sports ecosystem, especially as India prepares to bid for hosting the Olympics. He stressed that sports have been part of Indian tradition for centuries but have not received adequate attention post-independence, leading to unsatisfactory Olympic performances.

The bill addresses 10 major issues in sports governance, including litigation over elections and athlete selections, lack of athlete representation, gender imbalance, financial irregularities, and absence of proper grievance mechanisms.

It also settles the long-debated age and tenure limits for sports officials. Office-bearers can now serve their full term even if they turn 70 during tenure. Presidents, secretaries, and treasurers can hold office for up to three four-year terms (12 years), with a cooling-off period of one term before seeking re-election.