National Sports Governance Bill: Modi Government's Step Towards Ending Federation Politics And Ensuring Athlete Welfare

The government's introduction of the National Sports Governance Bill 2024 aims to address the long-standing issues of factionalism and mismanagement within National Sports Federations (NSFs), providing a solution to restore transparency and accountability in the functioning of sports bodies.

The bill, which is currently open for public comments and suggestions, is seen as a critical step to resolve the challenges faced by NSFs, many of which have been embroiled in internal politics that affect the welfare of athletes.

Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, speaking on Wednesday (11 December), emphasised the urgency of addressing the unprofessionalism that has marred the functioning of NSFs. His remarks come in the wake of ongoing controversies, such as last year's wrestlers' protest, which shed light on the lack of accountability and leadership in federations.

Mandaviya sent a clear message to federations, stating that they could no longer escape their responsibility toward athletes due to infighting and administrative mismanagement.

"The ministry would look to resolve the issues concerning the NSFs, whatever they may be, within six months of the bill becoming law," he assured, adding that the bill would likely be tabled in the upcoming Budget session.

One of the key provisions of the bill is the establishment of an "Appellate Sports Tribunal," a move that seeks to curb the frequent practice of NSFs turning to the courts to settle internal disputes.

"There will be no need for federations to approach courts anymore. Through this tribunal, all such cases will be resolved," Mandaviya explained, offering a streamlined approach to conflict resolution within sports organizations.

In addition, the introduction of the National Sports Repository System (NSRS) marks a significant shift toward digitizing and streamlining athlete and coach information.

This system will allow for a seamless registration process and ensure transparency in the disbursal of cash awards to athletes and coaches, directly integrated with the government’s Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) portal.

"The system will help in the auto-disbursal of cash awards, ensuring efficiency and transparency," Mandaviya stated. He further emphasized that all NSFs would be required to integrate their portals with the NSRS, creating a unified and comprehensive history for each athlete.