Introduction
India's sports law regime is poised for a significant transformation with the tabling of two landmarkbills i.e., the National Sports Governance Bill, 2025 ('Sports Bill') and the National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill, 2025 ('Anti-Doping Amendment') (collectively, 'Bills') in the Lok Sabha on 23 July 2025. Rooted in the imperative of instituting robust governance, transparency, and accountability in Indian sport, these Bills aim to improve athlete welfare, ethical administration and development and promotion of sports.
In recent years, the governance of National Sports Federations ('NSF(s)') in India has come under intense judicial and international scrutiny. Multiple High Court orders have highlighted persistent non-compliance with the National Sports Development Code, 2011, exposing systemic issues in the administration of NSFs. This governance turbulence has resulted in several high-profile interventions and sanctions from international sports bodies including suspensions and warnings by Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) to the All India Football Federation (AIFF), the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), the International Hockey Federation (FIH) to Hockey India, United World Wrestling (UWW) to the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), and World Archery to the Archery Association of India (AAI), among others. The majority of allegations have centred on irregularities in federation elections and undue third-party interference, leading to uncertainty around athlete selection, the risk of Indian participants competing under a neutral flag at global events, and reputational harm on the international stage. The introduction of the new Bills directly addresses these longstanding concerns by establishing clear statutory norms for good governance, athlete protection, and electoral integrity, and is a preparatory measure to strengthen India's credentials ahead of its bid to host the 2036 Olympic Games signalling a commitment to clean, fair, and professional sports governance.
The Sports Bill seeks to establish a comprehensive legal framework for the recognition, regulation, and monitoring of sports organisations in line with international best practices, while the Anti-Doping Amendment responds directly to global concerns by strengthening the autonomy and credibility of India's anti-doping regime. Together, these Bills mark a decisive advancement towards aligning India's sports governance with international standards, reinforcing athlete protections, and upholding the integrity of Indian sport.
Against this backdrop, understanding the salient features and implications of these reforms is essential for all stakeholders in the Indian sports ecosystem. This article aims to summarise the key provisions of the Sports Bill and key amendments introduced by the Anti-Doping Amendment.
The National Sports Governance Bill, 2025
Rationale and legislative intent
The preamble to the Sports Bill states that its primary objective is to promote the development of sports, implement welfare measures for sportspersons, and ensure adherence to principles of good governance, ethics, and fair play in line with the Olympic and Paralympic movements, as well as to address sports-related grievances. The Sports Bill seeks to overhaul the existing governance framework for sports in India by mandating compliance with global standards of transparency, ethics, and athlete welfare. Drawing inspiration from the Olympic Charter and international best practices, the Bill aims to establish an equitable, fair, and athlete-centric regulatory regime.
Key provisions
* Establishment of National Sports Bodies:The Sports Bill mandates the establishment of the National Olympic Committee, National Paralympic Committee, NSFs for each designated sport, and Regional Sports Federations for each designated sport (collectively, 'National Sports Body'). Each such entity is required to obtain international recognition and affiliation where an international sports governing body exists for the relevant sport, thereby aligning Indian sports governance with global norms.
* Mandatory Grievance Redressal Mechanism:Every National Sports Body must institute an internal grievance redressal mechanism to ensure the fair, timely, and transparent resolution of complaints raised by athletes, coaches, and other associated individuals.
* National Sports Board ('Board'):The Sports Bill establishes the Board as the apex regulatory authority entrusted with granting, renewing, or revoking recognition of sports organisations. The Board,inter-alia, is empowered to, (a) conduct inquiries in relation to matters affecting the welfare of sportspersons or the development of sports in the country or misuse of public funds; (b) issue guidelines for formulation of code of ethics and for ensuring compliance with the international standards; (c) frame safe sports policy; and (d) take measures to ensure protection of the rights and welfare of athletes and support personnel.
* Code of Ethics:Every National Sports Body must formulate a comprehensive code of ethics that sets out minimum standards for the ethical and appropriate conduct for its committees, employees, staff, sponsors, coaches, athletes, officials, members, affiliates and such other relevant persons, consistent with international best practices.
* Safe Sports Policy:The Sports Bill introduces the formulation of 'Safe Sports Policy' by the Board, designed to protect athletes, particularly women and minors.
* Transparency Measures:All recognized sports organisations including the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) shall be considered as a public authority under the Right to Information Act, 2005 ensuring public accountability.
* Election Oversight:The Sports Bill provides for the establishment of the National Sports Election Panel, comprising experienced election officials, to oversee the conduct of elections within National Sports Bodies to ensure free and fair elections.
* National Sports Tribunal ('Tribunal'):The Sports Bill establishes an independent, quasi-judicial Tribunal, to be presided over by a sitting or retired Supreme Court Judge or Chief Justice of a High Court. The Tribunal is vested with exclusive jurisdiction to adjudicate all sports-related disputes, including appeals against any order of the Board concerning suspension or cancellation of recognition or registration of sports organisations. The Tribunal's awards are final and binding, subject only to an appeal before the Supreme Court of India or, in specific cases, before the Court of Arbitration for Sport ('CAS'). Parallel proceedings before civil courts are expressly barred, thereby eliminating forum shopping and expediting dispute resolution.
* Use of National Names and Insignia:No sports organisation is permitted to use the words 'India,' 'Indian,' 'National' or any national insignia in its name, logo, or business operations without obtaining a no-objection certificate from the Central Government, and, in the case of an unrecognised organisation, the prior written consent of the Board. Furthermore, individuals or groups may represent India, any State, or district in any designated sports only if duly authorised by a recognised National Sports Body or its affiliate units.
* Power of Central Government of impose restrictions:The Central Government may, under extraordinary circumstances concerning national security, public order, or safety, impose reasonable restrictions on the participation of any national team in international sports competitions or any individual in national sports events.
With these provisions, the Sports Bill aims to introduce unprecedented levels of accountability and oversight in the functioning of sports bodies in India. By doing so, it aims to harmonise India's domestic regulatory framework with international legal instruments most notably the Olympic Charter address existing jurisdictional gaps in sports dispute resolution, and impose enhanced obligations of equity, transparency, and operational efficiency across all entities within the sports sector.
The National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill, 2025
Legislative background
The National Anti-Doping Act, 2022 drew significant criticism from the World Anti-Doping Agency ('WADA') for persistent government interference in the functioning of the National Anti-Doping Agency ('NADA') and related panels, risking derecognition for Indian athletes and anti-doping labs. The Anti-Doping Amendment seeks to remedy these shortcomings by mandating NADA's autonomy, requiring WADA accreditation for all labs, and removing undue government interference, thus aligning India's regime with global best practices and securing its standing in international sport.
Key amendments
* Operational autonomy and reduced government interference: By eliminating excessive government involvement in NADA's functions, the Anti-Doping Amendment enhances institutional autonomy and aligns India's framework with global anti-doping standards.
* Decentralisation of appeal panel appointments: The Anti-Doping Amendment vests the Central Government, instead of the National Board for Anti-Doping, with powers to constitute the National Anti-Doping Appeal Panel ('Panel'), squarely addressing WADA's concerns regarding lack of independence in adjudicatory bodies.
* WADA Accreditation Mandate: All dope testing laboratories operating in India must obtain and continually maintain WADA accreditation, ensuring that testing is accepted globally.
* Scope of appeals: The Anti-Doping Amendment narrows the list of entities eligible to appeal before the CAS to athletes, WADA, the International Olympic Committee, and concerned international federations, thereby streamlining the appellate process.
Collectively, these amendments not only restore India's compliance with international anti-doping protocols but also protect Indian athletes' rights within a fair and transparent system.
The amendments bolster NADA's operational freedom and address international compliance deficits, pre-emptively heading off any risk of suspension or sanctions against Indian athletes or labs by WADA.
Comments
These Bills represent a crucial evolution in the legal and regulatory landscape of Indian sports. By setting out comprehensive frameworks for transparent governance and global anti-doping compliance, they directly address gaps that have challenged the credibility and effective administration of Indian sport. For sports organisations, and athletes, these developments mean increased clarity, objective standards for compliance, and greater protection of rights.
The Sports Bill seeks to provide a legal backbone to sports governance, minimise judicial overreach, and bring greater administrative coherence. It adopts a balanced structure placing the Board between NSFs and the government to uphold NSF autonomy while ensuring accountability. By limiting direct government interference and empowering an independent regulator, the Sports Bill aims to address the very issue that has led to international suspensions of Indian NSFs in the past. The transparency of the NSB's appointment process will be key to maintaining this balance in practice.
The Sports Bill signals an intent to bring the Board of Control for Cricket in India ('BCCI') within the regulatory fold, despite its historic autonomy and financial independence. Should the Sports Bill's provisions apply, BCCI would be expected to adhere to governance and transparency norms applicable to NSFs including possible age and tenure limits for office-bearers, potentially reshaping current governance structure put in place by Committee of Administrators appointed by the Supreme Court for implementation of Lodha Committee's recommendations. However, whether BCCI will ultimately fall under the direct administration of Board or be formally recognised as an NSF remains to be seen.
Further, several prominent sports leagues in India, such as the Indian Premier League (IPL), Pro Kabaddi League (PKL), and Hockey India League (HIL) are not directly organised by NSFs, raising important questions about their regulation and athlete protection. The government's proposal to introduce National Sports Leagues (NSLs) under the ambitious Khelo India Scheme signals an intent to bring such private leagues within a formal regulatory framework. As the Sports Bill evolves, it will be important to clarify how these independently operated leagues will be monitored, what compliance standards will apply, and what mechanisms will be established to safeguard athletes' rights and welfare.
Additionally, it is important to note that the Sports Bill expressly excludes the jurisdiction of High Courts over decisions of the Tribunal, providing that appeals lie solely before the Supreme Court. This approach centralises judicial review at the apex level.
The Anti-Doping Amendment strengthens NADA's independence by limiting government interference and mandating WADA accreditation for all dope testing labs, bringing India's regime in line with international standards. These reforms reinforce India's compliance with global anti-doping obligations, reducing the risk of sanctions or exclusion from international sporting events.
As these landmark Bills reshape expectations and processes throughout the sports sector, they offer a welcome opportunity to build a fairer, more accountable, and internationally respected framework for sports in India.
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