Parliament has passed National Sports Governance Bill and National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill, 2025. The laws overhaul sports administration, align doping rules with global standards and aim to boost India’s Olympic ambitions via fair governance.
The Rajya Sabha passed two key legislations the National Sports Governance Bill, 2025 and the National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill, 2025. The Lok Sabha had cleared them earlier on August 11, despite opposition protests over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Bihar.
National Sports Governance Bill aims to revamp sports administration
The National Sports Governance Bill seeks to recognise and regulate national sports bodies. It proposes the creation of the National Olympic Committee, National Paralympic Committee, and separate sports federations for each designated sport, all affiliated with their respective international bodies. Each national sports body will have a general body with equal representation from affiliate members and ex-officio members. It will also have an executive committee of up to 15 members, including at least two outstanding sportspersons and four women. The bill empowers the central government to set up a National Sports Board to grant recognition to national sports bodies and register their affiliates. It also proposes a National Sports Tribunal to handle sports-related disputes quickly.
Anti-doping amendments align India with global rules
The National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill, 2025 updates the National Anti-Doping Act, 2022 to match global anti-doping standards. The law bans the use of prohibited substances by athletes and sets rules for testing, enforcement, and penalties. It empowers the National Board for Anti-Doping in Sports to seek information from disciplinary and appeal panels. The amendments also clearly define actions that will be considered doping violations.
Government says reforms will boost India’s Olympic ambitions
Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said these bills are the biggest sports reforms since Independence and will help India move “from ground to glory” in sports. He said the governance bill will support the country’s bid to host the Olympics by ensuring world-class sports infrastructure. On the anti-doping amendments, Mandaviya said they were necessary to keep India in sync with international anti-doping agencies. He added that the bills were drafted after wide consultations with stakeholders.