Rajya Sabha Approves Sports Governance and Anti-Doping Bills

The Rajya Sabha has approved the National Sports Governance Bill and the National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill, 2025. These bills had previously been passed by the Lok Sabha. The primary objective of the National Sports Governance Bill, introduced by the Union Youth Affairs and Sports Minister, is to establish a robust legal framework for sports governance in India, promoting transparency, accountability, and athlete welfare. The bill aims to foster sports development and promotion, provide welfare measures for athletes, and implement ethical practices aligned with the principles of good governance, ethics, and fair play as defined by the Olympic Charter and international best practices. Additionally, it seeks to create a unified and effective mechanism for resolving sports-related grievances and disputes. This is a significant step towards enhancing the Indian sports ecosystem by providing a strong legal foundation to address existing policy gaps and fragmented court rulings. The Supreme Court and Delhi High Court had earlier urged the Parliament to create a comprehensive sports governance framework. With numerous legal cases disrupting the work of sports federations, this bill offers a centralized, legally sound solution to eliminate confusion and bring order. This law aims to strengthen the functioning of sports federations as India aims to host the 2036 Olympics and become a sporting superpower.