President Murmu signs India sports governance reform into law
India Sports Governance Reform Takes Center Stage
The India sports governance reform reached a major milestone as Parliament passed the reform bill and President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent on August 18, 2025, transforming it into the National Sports Governance Act, 2025. This landmark legislation is poised to revamp governance models and elevate transparency across Indian sports.
Core Components of the Act
- National Sports Board (NSB): Empowers recognition and deregulation of national sports bodies, with authority to issue ethics guidelines, monitor federation conduct, and even form ad hoc bodies when needed.
- National Sports Tribunal: A judicial body vested with civil court powers to resolve administrative disputes in sports, offering fast-tracked and expert handling of grievances. Final appeal rests with the Supreme Court.
- Inclusive Governance Norms: Restricts tenure to three terms (12 years) and relaxes age limits to 75 (where international rules permit), while mandating athlete and women representation in executive committees.
- Limited RTI Oversight: Only federations receiving government funding fall under the Right to Information (RTI), thereby keeping self-funded bodies like BCCI outside RTI’s jurisdiction.
Bipartisan Praise & Legislative Intent
- P. T. Usha, President of the Indian Olympic Association, praised the Act in the Rajya Sabha, asserting it “ends decades of stagnation” and essential for transparency and accountability. The Times of India
- Olympic gold medalist Abhinav Bindra described it as a “robust framework” that elevates the professionalism and governance of Indian sports.
Alignment with India’s Olympic Ambitions
This India sports governance reform is central to strengthening credentials for India’s bid to host the 2036 Olympic Games. Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya called it the biggest sports reform since independence, highlighting that it addresses age, tenure, and electoral reforms across national sports federations.
Why This Reform Matters?
The India sports governance reform marks a huge step forward, because it introduces fair rules across all national sports bodies. Moreover, it establishes trusted oversight through the National Sports Board (NSB) and a Sports Tribunal, which resolve disputes quickly and fairly.
Additionally, the reform demands athlete and women representation in leadership—ensuring diversity. It even adjusts term limits and age caps, improving efficiency and inclusivity.
On the anti-doping side, the Act grants full autonomy to NADA, aligning India with global fair-play standards. Furthermore, only independent panels can now manage appeals, reducing conflict and protecting athlete rights.
Overall, the reform promotes professionalism, transparency, and accountability—key elements needed to strengthen our sports infrastructure and boost India’s Olympic prospects.
