'Will greatly benefit Indian sports': AIFF President welcomes National Sports Governance Bill

AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey has pointed out the positives of the new National Sports Governance Bill.

All India Football Federation (AIFF) President Kalyan Chaubey has welcomed the National Sports Governance Bill in a statement issued by the federation on Tuesday. Lauding the government for this bill, Chaubey highlighted the major objectives that the bill serves and the areas where it can have a positive impact.

Emphasising the spheres where the legislation will have an influence, the statement read, “We, at the All India Football Federation welcome, the National Sports Governance Act 2025, which will greatly benefit Indian sports by promoting good governance, particularly in two main areas – first, by the formation of the National Sports Board, which will have the authority to grant or cancel the recognition or registration of national or state sports bodies, ensure ethics and safe policies in sports, conduct inquiries, and constitute ad-hoc committees.”

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Attempt to lessen the litigation burden

Pending litigations have always been a roadblock for sports in India, where various stakeholders come at loggerheads. The litigation tends to stretch and adversely impact the functioning of the sports bodies, putting the players’ future and sports’ growth at risk. The bill has proposed a National Sports Tribunal to address this stumbling block.

The statement from the AIFF President also acknowledged the intention of the bill to lessen the burden of litigation.

Underlining the impact of the legislation on impeding litigations, Kalyan Chaubey said, “The National Sports Tribunal could reduce litigation costs and improve efficiency. Many national sports federations are burdened with court cases; in fact, the Indian Olympic Association is involved in more than 350 cases. The proposed tribunal in this bill could alleviate the financial burden put on such NSFs by virtue of litigation, ensuring that such finances may be invested in the sport.”

The journey started in 2011

In 2011, the ministry prepared the Draft National Sports Development Bill. But, it faced opposition for the strict guidelines and regulations related to age and tenure for the administrators of sports bodies. After this, there have been several drafts proposed, but due to legal hurdles, none of them could be transformed into a bill.

It garnered limelight once again in October 2024 when the Draft National Sports Governance Bill was proposed and released for public opinion. Various stakeholders, like the IOA, National Sports Federations, coaches, athletes, private players, and legal experts, have been included in the discussion to shape the bill.

International sports bodies like FIFA, World Athletics, and the International Hockey Federation (FIH) were also a part of the process, as the draft was shared with them as well.

The bill was presented in the Lok Sabha on July 23, 2025, before being reintroduced on August 11 by the Sports Minister, Mansukh Mandaviya, with some amendments. It was passed the same day, capping off a decade-long journey.

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