Don't want to interfere, sports regulatory board will ensure good governance: Mansukh Mandaviya

The establishment of a Sports Regulatory Board is one of the key features of the draft National Sports Governance Bill, which the Union Government intends to introduce in the Parliament soon

Playing down concerns surrounding the autonomy of national federations and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) if a regulatory board comes into existence, Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has asserted that the body is an essential step towards ensuring good governance and does not intend to interfere in day-to-day operations.

The establishment of a Sports Regulatory Board is one of the key features of the draft National Sports Governance Bill, which the Union Government intends to introduce in the Parliament soon.

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The regulatory body will have the authority to grant, renew, and suspend the affiliation of the IOA and national sports federations, among others.

"We don't want to interfere. That's why I did a lot of dialogue, I had a lot of consultations with the federations. I consulted with eminent sports personalities and even lawyers who are against us," Mr. Mandaviya told reporters during an interaction on Friday (November 22, 2024.)

"We don't want to take control, but we can't leave it unattended. It is the responsibility of the government," he added.

IOA president P.T. Usha has raised concerns about the Board's mandate, stating that it could undermine the autonomy of the IOA and national federations, putting India at risk of being suspended by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

"This was a very important observation [Usha]. It is not wrong. We have to follow the rules and regulations of the International Olympic Committee," he said.

"All these things have to be aligned. I will have to keep a close eye on the Bill. We have to implement the regulations that the IOC and the International Federations are bringing from time to time. If we don't do it, they will suspend us. We will suffer then. That's why I want everyone's consensus." The Minister, however, did not give an exact timeline for the introduction of the long-pending Bill in the Parliament. "Work is going on; we will introduce the Bill soon," he said.

As per the draft Bill, the national Olympic Committee, national sports federations, the national paralympic committee, and their affiliates will also be annually required to make public disclosures as prescribed by the Sports Regulatory Board.

The draft Bill has a provision for one Khel Ratna and one Dronacharya awardee in the five-member regulatory body, with the Secretary (Sports) as its chairman and the Director-General of the Sports Authority of India as an ex-officio member. The fifth member will be the Vice-Chancellor of the National Sports University.

Expressing concern about the autonomy of the IOA and National Sports Federations (NSFs), Usha, in a letter to the Minister a few weeks ago, had said the Board's over-riding powers can be construed as government interference by the IOC. Mr. Mandaviya, however, reiterated that the Ministry does not wish to meddle.

"We are not interfering in anyone's autonomy. What is autonomy in a federation? When the court tells us that there should be an election, someone should be responsible for ensuring it is conducted properly. A separate system should be made for it, and they [egulatory board] will look at it, we will not look at it...there will be no interference from the government. We will bring a mature Bill," he assured.

Mr. Mandaviya cited his recent intervention in ensuring that wrestlers compete in a world championship after the national federation could not send a team due to an ongoing court case as an example of how necessary his Ministry's role becomes in certain circumstances.

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The wrestlers had protested outside his residence requesting him to ensure they compete after the Wrestling Federation of India withdrew the nation's entries from the prestigious tournament owing to a High Court order which barred it from selecting teams.

"Let's assume that I don't intervene, what will be the situation? The wrestling people said it will be contempt of court if we send our wrestlers to international championships. How can I deprive my children of this opportunity? Ultimately, if our children don't go, it will be the government's failure," he said.

Published - November 23, 2024 12:02 pm IST