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National Sports Governance Act, 2025
[25 OF 2025]1
An Act to provide for the development and promotion of sports, welfare measures for sportspersons, ethical practices based on basic universal principles of good governance, ethics and fair play of the Olympic and sports movement, the Olympic Charter, the Paralympic Charter, international best practices and established legal standards and to provide for the resolution of sports grievances and sports disputes in a unified, equitable and effective manner and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
WHEREAS the Olympic Charter and the Paralympic Charter emphasise impeccable ethical behaviour in sports governance, necessitating the national sports governing bodies to align with such global governance standards;
AND WHEREAS the national sports governing bodies discharge important public functions in the country and it is pertinent for these bodies to manage their internal and external affairs in an open, fair and transparent manner in the public interest;
AND WHEREAS the Government of India respects the principle of autonomy of the sports governing bodies in the country in line with the fundamental principles enshrined in the Olympic Charter and the Paralympic Charter;
AND WHEREAS the Government of India recognises the importance of providing accessible, fair and effective measures for the resolution of grievances and disputes relating to sports;
AND WHEREAS it is considered necessary to give effect to the aforesaid objectives.
BE it enacted by Parliament in the Seventy-sixth Year of the Republic of India as follows:—
CHAPTER I PRELIMINARY
Short title and commencement.
21. (1) This Act may be called the National Sports Governance Act, 2025.
1. Dated 18-8-2025.
2. Enforced with effect from 1-1-2026.
(2) It shall come into force on such date3 as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint, and different dates may be appointed for different provisions of this Act, and any reference in any such provision to the commencement of this Act shall be construed as a reference to the coming into force of that provision.
Definitions.
42. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—
(
a) “ad hoc administrative body” means a body constituted for ad hoc administration under section 11;
(b) “affiliate unit” means the State, district or other units of,—
(i) the National Olympic Committee;
(ii) the National Paralympic Committee;
(iii) the National Sports Federation; and
(iv) the Regional Sports Federation;
(
c) “Athletes Committee”, “Disputes Resolution Committee”, “Ethics Committee” and “Executive Committee”, by whatever name called, means the “Athletes Committee”, “Disputes Resolution Committee”, “Ethics Committee” and “Executive Committee”, respectively, of a National Sports Body;
(
d) “Board” means the National Sports Board established under sub-section (1) of section 5;
(
e) “Board recognition” means recognition of a sports organisation by the Board under this Act;
(
f) “bye-laws” means the memorandum of association or articles of association, by whatever name called, of a sports organisation;
(g) “designated sport” means any sport discipline as may be specified by the Central Government, by notification, to be a designated sport for a specific region or State or for the whole of India;
(h) “International Charters and Statutes” means the Olympic Charter and other Charters and Statutes of the international sports governing bodies and include any bye-laws, rules, regulations or constitution, by whatever name called, as may be adopted, amended or issued by such bodies from time to time;
3. NOTIFICATION NO. S.O. 6152(E), DATED 31-12-2025: In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (2) of section 1 of the National Sports Governance Act, 2025 (25 of 2025), the Central Government hereby appoints the 1st January, 2026, as the date on which the provisions of sections 1 to 3, sub-sections (1), (2) and (4) of section 4, sub-sections (1) and (2) of section 5, sub-section (5) of section 8, sub-section (1) of section 11, section 14, section 15, sub-sections (1) to (7) and (10) of section 17, section 30, section 31, sections 33 to 38 of the said Act, shall come into force.
4. Enforced with effect from 1-1-2026.
(i) “International Federation” means—
(A) a federation recognised as such by the International Olympic Committee in respect of an Olympic sport; or
(B) a federation recognised as such by the International Paralympic Committee in respect of a Paralympic sport; or
(C) a federation which regulates the sport at international level in respect of non-Olympic or non-Paralympic sports;
(j) “International Olympic Committee” means the governing body for the Olympic Games;
(k) “International Paralympic Committee” means the governing body for the Paralympic Games;
(l) “international recognition” means the recognition of a national sports governing body by the concerned international sports governing body;
(m) “International Sports Body” means an international sports governing body such as the International Olympic Committee or the International Paralympic Committee or International Federation or a continental governing body for sports;
(n) “National Olympic Committee” means the National Olympic Committee established under section 3 as a national sports governing body and recognised as the National Olympic Committee of India by the International Olympic Committee;
(o) “National Paralympic Committee” means the National Paralympic Committee established under section 3 as a national sports governing body and recognised as the National Paralympic Committee of India by the International Paralympic Committee;
(p) “National Sports Body” means a national sports governing body such as the National Olympic Committee or the National Paralympic Committee or the National Sports Federation or the Regional Sports Federation, established under section 3;
(q) “National Sports Election Panel” means the National Sports Election Panel notified under section 16 to oversee the conduct of free and fair elections to the Executive Committee and the Athletes Committee of the National Sports Bodies;
(r) “National Sports Federation” means a National Sports Federation established under section 3 as a national sports governing body for a designated sport;
(s) “National Sports Promotion Organisation” means a sports organisation or body contributing towards the development of sports, such as talent identification and their nurturing, policy advocacy relating to sports administration or welfare and recognised by the Board under sub-section (7) of section 8;
(t) “notification” means a notification published in the Official Gazette and the expression “notify” or “notified”, shall be construed accordingly; 3
S. 2 NATIONAL SPORTS GOVERNANCE ACT, 2025 4
(u) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules made by the Central Government under this Act;
(v) “recognised sports organisation” means a sports organisation recognised by the Board as a National Sports Body under sub-section (1) of section 8;
(w) “Regional Sports Federation” means a Regional Sports Federation established under section 3 as national sports governing body for a designated sport;
(x) “regulations” means regulations made by the Board under this Act;
(y) “Secretary General” means the Secretary General or the Secretary of a National Sports Body;
(z) “sportsperson of outstanding merit” means a sportsperson referred to in the proviso to clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 4;
(za) “State” means a State specified in the First Schedule to the Constitution and includes a Union territory;
(zb) “Tribunal” means the National Sports Tribunal constituted under sub-section (1) of section 17.
COMMENTS
SECTION NOTES
2.1 Definition of “International Charters and Statutes” [Section 2(h)]
Primary meaning
International Charters and Statutes means the Olympic Charter.
International Charters and Statutes means other Charters and Statutes of the international sports governing bodies.
Inclusions
The term includes any of the following as may be adopted, amended, or issued by such bodies from time to time:
Bye-laws.
Rules.
Regulations.
Constitution, by whatever name called.
2.2 Definition of “International Federation” [Section 2(i)]
Olympic sport federation
International Federation means a federation recognized as such by the International Olympic Committee.
This recognition must be in respect of an Olympic sport.
Paralympic sport federation
International Federation means a federation recognized as such by the International Paralympic Committee.
Rs. 145
DESCRIPTION
National Sports Governance Act 2025 with Rules [Bare Act with Section Notes] by Taxmann is an authoritative statutory publication that presents India's first comprehensive and enforceable legal framework for sports governance. This publication presents the law exactly as enacted and operationalised, integrating the principal Act with all notified Rules, statutory Schedules, election frameworks, prescribed Forms, and carefully drafted section-wise explanatory notes. Editorially, it is designed as a working governance and compliance manual, enabling institutions, administrators, and practitioners to implement, audit, defend, and litigate sports governance decisions with statutory certainty. The framework reflects India's calibrated regulatory approach—balancing institutional autonomy with public accountability, while aligning domestic governance norms with the Olympic Charter, Paralympic Charter, and international best practices. This publication is essential for stakeholders who require section-anchored clarity and defensible compliance under the new sports governance regime, including:
• National Olympic Committee, National Paralympic Committee & National Sports Federations
• Sports Administrators, Presidents, Secretaries General & Treasurers
• Sports Lawyers & Advocates
• Government Officials & Regulators in the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports
• Athletes, Athletes' Committees & Athlete Representatives
• Academics, Policy Researchers & Students
The Present Publication is the 2026 Edition, covering the enacted text of the National Sports Governance Act [Act No. 25 of 2025] and Rules, with the following noteworthy features:
• [Complete Statutory Text] Full and verbatim text of the Act as enacted by Parliament
• [All Notified Rules] Incorporates in full:
o National Sports Board (Search-cum-Selection Committee) Rules 2026
o National Sports Governance (National Sports Bodies) Rules 2026
• [Section-wise Explanatory Notes] Clarify key definitions, scope of powers, duties, exclusions, jurisdiction, and legislative intent
• [Governance-to-Enforcement Continuum] Covers the entire governance lifecycle—from recognition and elections to ethics enforcement and adjudication
• [Election & Representation Framework] Detailed statutory coverage of elections, athlete representation, eligibility, disqualifications, and cooling-off norms
• [Tribunal-centric Dispute Resolution] Complete framework for the National Sports Tribunal, including powers, appeals, and enforceability of orders
• [Detailed Subject Index] Facilitates quick and precise statutory navigation
