How does the National Sports Bill differ from the National Sports Code?

Odisha, Bhubaneshwar- The National Sports Governance Bill, 2025, recently introduced in the Lok Sabha, represents a significant upgrade and legal enforcement mechanism compared to the existing National Sports Development Code of India, 2011. While the 2011 Code served as a set of guidelines and principles for good governance, the new Bill aims to provide statutory backing and introduce robust mechanisms for accountability and transparency.

Here’s a breakdown of the key differences:

1. Legal Status and Enforceability:

• Sports Code (2011): Was essentially a set of executive guidelines and instructions issued by the Sports Ministry. It lacked legal enforceability, meaning compliance was often voluntary and challenging to mandate.
• Sports Bill (2025): Is a formal piece of legislation. Once passed by Parliament and enacted, it will carry legal authority, making its governance norms legally binding and enforceable through statutory mechanisms.

2. Accountability Mechanisms:

• Sports Code (2011): Did not have dedicated statutory bodies for accountability and dispute resolution. Powers of recognition/de-recognition largely rested with the Sports Ministry.
• Sports Bill (2025): Introduces three independent statutory bodies to enhance accountability:
  • National Sports Board: A regulatory body with sweeping powers to recognize, suspend, or derecognize National Sports Federations (NSFs). It will also collaborate with international federations for athlete welfare.
  • National Sports Tribunal: An adjudicatory body with the powers of a civil court, specifically for resolving sporting disputes ranging from elections to athlete selections and financial mismanagement. Its decisions can only be appealed to the Supreme Court (unless international charters dictate otherwise).
  • National Sports Election Panel: Composed of retired Election Commission officials, this body will oversee free and fair elections within NSFs, aiming to eliminate irregularities.
  • Ethics Commission: Also part of the new framework to uphold ethical practices in sports.

3. Age and Tenure Limits for Administrators:

• Sports Code (2011): Capped the age of administrators at 70.
• Sports Bill (2025): Allows an office-bearer to complete their tenure even if they turn 70 during their term, provided they were below 70 at the time of filing nominations. It also provides a further relaxation of up to five years for contesting elections if permitted by international statutes and byelaws of the concerned sports body (effectively allowing up to 75 years in some cases).
• Tenure (President, Secretary General, Treasurer):
  • Sports Code: Allowed the President to serve three terms (maximum 12 years) with a cooling-off period after two terms. Treasurer and Secretary could serve two consecutive terms.
  • Sports Bill: Allows these key office-bearers to serve three consecutive terms, with a maximum total of 12 years. They remain eligible for election to the Executive Committee after a cooling-off period, ensuring continuity of experienced individuals within the system.

4. Executive Committee (EC) Composition and Inclusivity:

• Sports Code (2011): Had no mandatory provisions for women’s or athletes’ representation. The EC strength was capped at 15 members.
• Sports Bill (2025): Mandates greater inclusivity:
  • At least four members of the EC must be women.^\
  • At least two sportspersons of outstanding merit must be included in the EC.
  • The overall strength of the EC is capped at 15 members.
  • It also mandates the establishment of Athlete Committees within each NSF, ensuring athlete voices in governance.

5. Right to Information (RTI) Act Applicability:

• Sports Code (2011): While NSFs receiving over ₹10 lakhs in government funding were deemed “Public Authorities” under RTI, the application was inconsistent, especially for bodies like BCCI that do not receive direct government funds.
• Sports Bill (2025): Explicitly states that all recognized sports bodies, including the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), will come under the ambit of the RTI Act, 2005. This resolves a long-standing debate and aims to bring unprecedented financial scrutiny and transparency. The BCCI will now need to seek annual recognition from the National Sports Board.

6. Government Powers and National Interest:

• Sports Code (2011): The government had powers related to recognition and funding but lacked broad legal backing for intervention in certain situations.
• Sports Bill (2025): Grants the government overriding powers to impose “reasonable restrictions” on the participation of any national team in international events when deemed necessary for national interest. It also requires government approval for any sports organization using national names or symbols.

In essence, the National Sports Governance Bill, 2025, transforms the guiding principles of the 2011 Code into a legally enforceable framework, creating a more robust, transparent, and athlete-centric governance structure for sports in India.

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