Draft National Sports Governance Bill 2024 – Consultation Report

In October 2024, the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports released the Draft National Sports Governance Bill, 2024 for public consultation. The bill proposes sweeping reforms, including the establishment of the Sports Regulatory Board of India (SRBI), mandatory athlete commissions, stricter transparency rules, and a dedicated Sports Tribunal for dispute resolution.

Civis facilitated stakeholder engagement through its online platform, WhatsApp chatbot, social media outreach, and an in-depth expert interview. Together, these efforts generated 60 responses alongside analysis of 215 social media posts and sports articles, ensuring diverse perspectives from athletes, sports bodies, governance experts, and the wider public.

Key recommendations emerging from the consultation included:

• Clarify SRBI’s mandate and strengthen independence to avoid political capture and weak enforcement.
• Ensure meaningful athlete representation, with training and support for retired athletes to take up governance roles.
• Standardise transparent selection processes across all levels to ensure merit-based participation.
• Introduce strict anti-corruption safeguards, independent audits, and conflict-of-interest rules.
• Simplify dispute resolution by reducing the proposed five-tier system to a faster, two-tier framework.
• Promote grassroots development, with investment in coaching, sports science, and inclusion of underrepresented groups.
• Draw lessons from state sports acts (Kerala, Rajasthan) and the Lodha Committee recommendations for robust governance models.