In a significant development, the Lok Sabha has passed the National Sports Governance Bill and the National Anti-Doping Amendment Bill on Monday, August 11. Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya stated that the bills are key reforms aimed at building a transparent and world-class sports ecosystem in India, as the nation is eyeing hosting the Olympics. This means that the world's richest cricket body – the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) – has also come under the newly passed bill. Meanwhile, in this article, we will talk about what the National Sports Governance Bill is and what it means to the BCCI. BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla Reflects on National Sports Governance Bill, Says ‘We Will Study and Then I Will Express My View’.

What is National Sports Governance Bill?

The National Sports Governance bill is a legal framework to ensure the smooth and fair functioning of the National Sports Federations (NSFs). The bill will enhance athlete protection through safe sport protocols and grievance redressal systems. The newly passed bill will promote sports ethics and also resolve administrative disputes through a standardised structure for NSFs.

The bill is designed to tackle 10 persistent issues in the Indian sports administration, such as the absence of a dedicated dispute resolution body. Weak athlete representation in governing bodies and gender imbalance in leadership roles are some of the designed tackle points.

Another key feature of the National Sports Governance Bill is that it will constitute the National Sports Tribunal as well, which will have the powers of a civil court to resolve the selection and election matters, including the athletes and the board. However, the appeal against the decision can only be made to the Supreme Court of India.

BCCI Comes Under National Sports Governance Bill

The Board of Control for Cricket in India, the private governing body for cricket, will come under the National Sports Governance Bill. All its ongoing and future legal matters will be handled in the newly proposed bill. As per the new bill, neither BCCI nor its state association will be allowed to approach the court directly to solve any disputes.

For the BCCI, the bill also relaxes the age restriction for administrators. Those between 70 and 75 can contest elections if allowed by the international body. It means that current BCCI head Roger Binny, who turned 70 last month, can continue. Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya Introduces National Sports Governance Bill 2025.

Is There Exception for BCCI Under National Sports Governance Bill 2025?

The National Sports Governance Bill 2025 has stated that a recognised sports organisation shall be considered under the Right to Information (RTI) Act 2005. This means that any information of the sports bodies, including the BCCI, would come under the RTI Act. However, it has been reported that those sports bodies that receive funds from the government will come under the RTI Act. With BCCI being a private cricketing board and its funds not being fully dependent on the government, it is expected that the world's richest cricket body will not come under the RTI Act 2005.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 11, 2025 04:59 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).