Key reform achieved with passing of National Sports Governance Bill: Mandaviya

NEW DELHI: Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday said the passing of the National Sports Governance Bill in both houses of Parliament will transform India’s sporting landscape and make decision-making athlete-centric.

Speaking to reporters after the bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha a day after getting Lok Sabha’s nod, Mandaviya said the government will now focus on creating a medal strategy to ensure that India’s performance in international competitions improves drastically.

“Through this reform, the sports sector of the country will change. Twenty countries in the world have a sports law, India will now be an equal to them,” Mandaviya said.

“In the coming days, we will prepare our medal tally strategy, on the basis of which, in the next 10 years, we will be in the 1st to 10th position globally,” he added.

The sports bill, which was discussed for over two hours in the Rajya Sabha after being passed rather swiftly in the Lower House, has three significant features.

The National Sports Board, which will have the power to recognise and de-recognise NSFs besides regulating their funding, the National Sports Tribunal for speedy dispute resolution and the National Sports Election Panel (NSEP) to oversee federations’ elections.

In addition, it has provisions for mandatory representation of women and athletes in federations.

“To bring good governance in the sports sector, National Sports Governance Bill, was passed in the Lok Sabha first and Rajya Sabha today (Tuesday). Through the Sports Governance Bill, the country will have an athlete-centric atmosphere, the federations will have transparency, there will be speed in dispute resolution,” Mandaviya said.

“...along with this, women and para-athletes will get representation,” he added.