SYLLABUS
GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
Context: The provisions being brought into effect relate to the establishment and governance framework of National Sports Bodies, including the National Olympic Committee, National Paralympic Committee, National Sports Federations (NSFs) and Regional Sports Federation.
More on the News
- The National Sports Governance Act partially came into effect on January 1, 2026 with provisions that will set the ball rolling for the institution of an all-powerful National Sports Board (NSB) and a Tribunal to handle sporting disputes notified as enforced by the Central government.
- All recognised sports bodies will be required to restructure their executive committees after elections under the Act.
- Executive committees will have a maximum of 15 members with at least two members must be Sportspersons of Merit (SOM) to ensure athlete representation.
- The partial implementation initiates the process of setting up oversight and dispute resolution institutions.
- According to the official gazette notification, the following sections took effect on January 1, 2026:
- Sections 1 to 3: Preliminary and definitions.
- Section 4 (1, 2, 4): Establishment of National Sports Bodies.
- Section 5 (1, 2): Compliance and governance framework.
- Sections 14 and 15: Provisions related to the National Sports Board.
- Section 17 (1-7, 10): Election procedures and the NSEP (National Sports Election Panel).
- Sections 30 and 31: Constitution and powers of the National Sports Tribunal.
- Sections 33 to 38: Rule-making powers and supplemental provisions
National Sports Governance Act, 2025:
- It is a landmark legislation in India that provides a statutory framework for the governance and regulation of national sports bodies.
- It replaces the non-binding National Sports Development Code of India, 2011, aiming to improve transparency and accountability as India prepares to bid for the 2036 Summer Olympics
- The Act establishes three primary statutory bodies to oversee Indian sports:
- National Sports Board (NSB): The apex regulatory authority responsible for granting, renewing, or cancelling recognition of national sports bodies. It monitors financial operations and can conduct inquiries into matters like athlete welfare and misuse of funds.
- National Sports Tribunal (NST): A specialised body to adjudicate sports-related disputes, chaired by a sitting or former Supreme Court judge or High Court Chief Justice. Its decisions are appealable to the Supreme Court, unless international rules require an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland.
- National Sports Election Panel: A panel consisting of retired election officials (e.g., former Chief Election Commissioners) to oversee free and fair elections for the executive committees of national sports bodies.
Significance of the Act
- Ending “Fiefdoms”: The Act aims to dismantle the long-standing dominance of political elites in sports bodies by enforcing strict age caps (generally 70 years) and tenure limits to prevent the monopolization of power.
- Statutory Legitimacy: It replaces the 2011 National Sports Development Code with a legislative structure, giving the government and regulatory bodies legal authority to enforce transparency and financial accountability.
- Global Alignment: The Act aligns Indian sports governance with the Olympic and Paralympic Charters and international standards (IOC/FIFA), which is critical for India’s bid to host the 2036 Summer Olympics.
- Athlete-Centric Governance: It mandates the inclusion of athletes in decision-making processes, including a requirement that executive committees have at least two “sportspersons of outstanding merit” and four women.