India Strengthens Sports Ecosystem with New Bills

In a significant move towards enhancing India's sports ecosystem, the Lok Sabha passed the National Sports Governance Bill, 2025, and the National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill, 2025, on Monday. Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya emphasized these legislations as pivotal for nurturing an international-level sports framework in the country.

The National Sports Governance Bill seeks to reinforce the development of sports and the welfare of athletes underpinned by universal principles of good governance and ethics. It aims for stringent adherence to the Olympic and Paralympic Charters and globally acknowledged legal norms to resolve sports disputes comprehensively.

Mandaviya remarked on the prolonged delay of the bill due to political intricacies of past administrations. The bill facilitates the creation of a National Sports Board (NSB), pivotal in recognizing national sports bodies, sanctioning them for government funding, and enforcing adherence to ethical and international standards. The National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill, introduced to amend the 2022 Act, reallocates powers regarding the appeal panel's constitution to the central government to enhance impartial adjudication of doping disputes.

(With inputs from agencies.)