Bills on sports governance, doping cleared in Lok Sabha amid Opposition din

In what Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya called the ‘single biggest reform in Indian sports since Independence’, the Lok Sabha on Monday passed the National Sports Governance Bill and the National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill, both aimed at creating a transparent, accountable and world-class sports ecosystem as India eyes a bid for the 2036 Olympics.

The Bills sailed through by voice vote in the absence of most Opposition members, many of whom were detained while marching towards the Election Commission office to protest the revision of electoral rolls in Bihar. When the House reassembled after an early adjournment, two MPs spoke in support before opposition leaders returned to the chamber, raising slogans as the measures were cleared.

Mandaviya, tabling the Sports Governance Bill, said India’s performance on the Olympic stage has long been unsatisfactory despite being a nation of over a billion. He traced the legislation’s decades-long journey — from early drafts in the 1970s and 1980s to the 2011 National Sports Code and several failed attempts to introduce a law — before declaring it a “force of change”.

The Bill creates a National Sports Board (NSB) to enforce stringent accountability standards for all National Sports Federations (NSFs) seeking central government funding. The NSB can de-recognise bodies failing to hold proper elections, misusing funds, or committing “gross irregularities” in procedures, though it must consult relevant international federations before acting.

A National Sports Tribunal with civil court powers will adjudicate disputes involving selections, elections and athletes, with its decisions appealable only in the Supreme Court. Recognised sports bodies will also come under the Right to Information Act, though the cricket board has secured an exemption unless it relies on government funding.

Parl approves Bill aimed at ensuring security of ships

New Delhi: Parliament on Monday approved a Bill aimed at increasing India’s bankability in maritime sector besides ensuring safety and security of ships with minimal disruptions. Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, while replying to the debate on ‘The Merchant Shipping Bill, 2025’, said the key focus of the Bill is enablement of increasing India’s bankability in the maritime sector.

On the contentious issue of age limits, the Bill relaxes the current 70-year cap, allowing administrators aged 70 to 75 to contest elections if permitted under their sport’s international statutes.

The National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill, 2025, addresses objections raised by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to provisions in the original 2022 Act, which the agency said allowed undue government interference in the functioning of the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA).

The amendment retains the proposed National Board for Anti-Doping in Sports, but strips it of oversight powers over NADA, ensuring the agency’s operational independence.

The revised Bill aligns Indian law with WADA’s code, enabling the country to move forward with long-delayed enforcement of anti-doping rules.