Key Points

The Upper House of the Parliament, the Rajya Sabha, on Tuesday passed the National Sports Governance Bill and the National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill, 2025, after it was passed in the Lower House, the Lok Sabha, on Monday.

The bill was introduced by Union Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya to provide a robust legal framework for sports governance in India, promoting transparency, accountability, and athlete welfare.

"This is the start of a new era for players. This will provide better facilities for the players... We thank the Government of India for this Sports Bill," Deepika Kumari said.

This landmark legislation stands as the country's first unified and comprehensive legal framework for sports governance--an achievement that brings decades of calls for reform to fruition.

For over a decade, efforts to establish such a robust law have been ongoing, dating back to 2011. Despite various attempts and drafts, a bill of this vision and scale had never reached Parliament--let alone won approval--until now.

The National Sports Governance Bill paves the way for a new standard of transparency, accountability, and ethical management in sports. The legislation sets clear expectations for National Sports Federations and the Indian Olympic Association, ensuring mechanisms for fair elections, financial openness, and inclusive representation.

Significantly, it mandates athlete commissions, a strong voice for players in governing bodies, and at least thirty per cent women's representation to promote gender equality in sports administration. With robust structures to safeguard athlete welfare--particularly for women and minors--and strict anti-doping and safe sport regulations, the bill puts the needs and rights of athletes at the heart of Indian sports.

Also, the Bill's alignment with the Olympic and Paralympic Charters shows India's determination not just to compete--but to lead--on the global sports map, as the nation sets its sights on hosting the 2036 Olympic Games and achieving developed-nation status by 2047.

By enshrining best practices in law, the Bill eliminates ambiguity and offers a unified structure where transparent administration, gender equality, and swift conflict resolution are the norm, not the exception.

- ANI