Lok Sabha Question No. 259 (STARRED), answered on 2016-03-15
Subject: Growth of Sports
Ministry: YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS
Asked by: RAJ KUMAR SINGH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS (DEPARTMENT OF SPORTS)

## LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION NO. 259 TO BE ANSWERED ON 15.03.2016

## Growth of Sports

*259. SHRI R.K. SINGH:

Will the Minister of YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether office bearers of various Sports Federations in the country are non-sportspersons  and  if  so,  the  details  thereof,    sports  federationwise;
- (b) whether these persons have monopolized taken control over the Sports Federations for decades without giving the sportspersons an opportunity to participate in their own sports bodies; and
- (c) whether this has resulted in the growth of various games and sports being  stymied,  if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  the  steps  the Government  proposes  to  take  to  reform  the  system,  and  if  not,  the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS (SHRI SARBANANDA SONOWAL)

- (a) to (c) A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (c)  OF  THE  LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.259 FOR REPLY ON 15-03-2016 ASKED BY SHRI R.K. SINGH REGARDING GROWTH OF SPORTS.

- (a) Madam,  Government  deals  only  with  the  national  level  sports federations.  National Sports Federations (NSFs) are registered under various Acts  such  as  Societies  Registration  Act,  Companies  Act  etc.    Government does  not  get  into  their  day  to  day  affairs.    The  composition  of  the  office bearers of the NSFs include sports persons as well as non sports persons. However, complete data of such persons elected as office bearers in various NSFs  w.r.t  their  being  a  sportspersons  or  a  non-sportspersons  is  not maintained.
- (b)  &  (c)      Instances  had  come  to  notice  of  the  Government  where  some persons had continued as office bearers for unduly long periods.  With a view to ensure that no person continues to hold important posts in the NSFs, for unduly long period, Government has issued instructions limiting the age and tenure  of  office  bearers  of  the  NSFs.    These  instructions  have  also  been made part of the National Sports Development Code of India, 2011 (NSDCI). The salient features of the said instructions are under:-
- (i) The President of any recognized National Sports Federation, including the Indian Olympic Association can hold the office for a maximum period of twelve years with or without break.
- (ii) The  Secretary  (Secretary  General/General  Secretary)  and  the Treasurer of any  recognized National Sports Federation, including the Indian Olympic  Association, may serve a maximum of two successive terms of four years each after which a minimum cooling  off  period  of  4  years  will  apply  to  seek  fresh election to either post.
- (iii) The President, the Secretary and the Treasurer of any recognized National Sports Federation, including the Indian Olympic Association,  shall  cease  to  hold  that  post  on  attaining  the  age of 70 years.

Further,  to  ensure  adequate  representation  of  sportspersons  in the  NSFs,  a  condition  has  been  laid  down  in  the  NSDCI  for  inclusion  of prominent sportspersons of outstanding merit as members of the respective sports  federations.    The  strength  of  such  prominent  sportspersons  with voting rights should be a certain minimum percentage (say 25%) of the total members representing the federation.

*****