The long-awaited National Sports Governance Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha on Monday with Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya describing it as the “single biggest reform in Indian sports since Independence” amid the Opposition’s protests over revision of electoral rolls in Bihar. The National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill was also passed when the Lok Sabha met again at 2 pm after an early adjournment.
“It is the single biggest reform in sports since Independence. This bill will ensure accountability, ensure justice and best governance in sports federations,” Mandaviya said amid sloganeering by Opposition members. “It will have massive significance in India's sports ecosystem. It is unfortunate that such an important Bill and reform does not have the Opposition’s participation,” he said.
Opposition leaders were not present in the House when the Bills were introduced for consideration and passage as most of them were detained while marching towards the Election Commission headquarters against the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar and alleged voter data fudging.
But after two MPs participated in the consideration debate, speaking in support of the Bill, Opposition members returned to the House and started raising slogans. Amid the commotion, the Bills were passed by a voice vote, after which the House was adjourned till 4 pm.
Earlier, chairman of the parliamentary committee on sports Digvijaya Singh requested Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to refer the National Sports Governance Bill to the panel. He felt that the Bill should be examined and discussed before it is taken up by Parliament. Mandaviya said the two Bills were key reforms aimed at building a “transparent, accountable and world-class sports ecosystem” in India as the country aims to bid for the 2036 Olympics.
"Efforts have been made since 1975 and in 1985, we had the first draft. But sports was also politicised for personal gains. Some ministers made efforts to bring this Bill, but could not move forward. In 2011, we had a National Sports Code. Another effort was made to turn it into a Bill. It reached the Cabinet, there was a discussion as well, but the Bill was deferred after that. It did not reach Parliament,” the minister stated while presenting a timeline of the Bill’s journey.
"The National Sports Bill Governance Bill is a force of change...Despite being such a large country, our performance at the Olympic Games and on the international stage has not been satisfactory, and this Bill aims to build India’s sports capacity,” said Mandaviya.
The sports governance bill has provisions for a National Sports Board (NSB) to create a stringent system of accountability. All National Sports Federations (NSFs) will have to attain NSB's recognition for access to central government funding. The NSB will have the mandate to de-recognise a national body that fails to hold elections for its executive committee or has committed "”gross irregularities in the election procedures”. Failure to publish annual audited accounts or “misused, misapplied or misappropriated public funds” would also be liable for action by the NSB, but it would be required to consult the global body concerned before making its move.
Another feature is the proposal for a National Sports Tribunal, which will have the powers of a civil court and decide disputes ranging from selection to election involving federations and athletes. Once instituted, the tribunal's decisions can only be challenged in the Supreme Court.
The Bill makes some concessions on the issue of age cap for administrators by allowing those in the bracket of 70 to 75 to contest elections if international bodies’ statutes and bylaws allow for it. It is a departure from the national sports code that capped the age limit at 70.
“...as a part of the preparatory activities for the bidding of Summer Olympic Games 2036, it is imperative that the sports governance landscape undergoes a positive transformation to bring better outcomes,” read the Bill's statement of objectives. All recognised national sports bodies would also come under the ambit of the RTI Act, something that the BCCI has vehemently opposed since it is not dependent on government funding. However, the cricket board has got some leeway on that front with the government amending the bill to ensure that RTI would be applicable only on bodies that rely on government funding or support.
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