BCCI to be answerable to Centre as National Sports Governance Bill reaches Parliament

The BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) could find itself answerable to the government on matters related to elections and other administrative issues as it is expected to come under the purview of the National Sports Governance Bill, which will be introduced in Parliament on Wednesday.

"They don't take ministry funding, but an Act of Parliament applies to them," a source in the Union Sports Ministry told news agency PTI. "Like all National Sports Federations (NSFs), the BCCI will have to comply with the law of the land once this Bill becomes an Act."

Besides elections and administrative accountability, matters related to players' welfare and dispute resolution will fall under the framework of the Act once it gets Parliament's nod.

The Bill proposes to follow the Olympic Charter and the statutes of the respective International Federations in matters related to electoral disputes. This is an important matter considering cricket will be back in the Olympics after 128 years at the Los Angeles Games in 2028.

The Centre-appointed National Sports Board (NSB) will be empowered even to suspend recognition of federations for violations ranging from electoral irregularities to financial misappropriation. Cabinet Secretary or Secretary Sports will function as chairperson of the selection committee, while the Director General of the Sports Authority of India, two sports administrators who have each served as the President or Secretary General or Treasurer of a National Sports Body and one eminent sportsperson who is a Dronacharya, or Khel Ratna or Arjuna awardee, will also be part.

"This is an athlete-centric Bill which will ensure stable administration, fair selection, safe sports and grievance redressal, NSF audits, proper accounting and better fund management," the ministry source asserted.

"The National Sports Tribunal will ensure that there is no career damage to athletes due to delayed court cases. Even now, 350 different court cases are in progress where the ministry is a party. This needs to end," he added.