Lok Sabha Question No. 1414 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-09
Subject: National Sports Governance Rules, 2026
Ministry: YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS
Asked by: Shri Bidyut Baran Mahato, Shri P C Mohan, Shri Neeraj Maurya, Shri Chintamani Maharaj, Smt. Vijaylakshmi Devi, Shri Alok Sharma, Smt. Shobhanaben Mahendrasinh Baraiya, Smt. Kamlesh Jangde, Smt. Himadri Singh, Shri Dilip Saikia, Smt. Mahima Kumari Mewar, Shri Lumbaram Choudhary, Shri Parbhubhai Nagarbhai Vasava, Shri Janardan Mishra, Shri Anurag Singh Thakur, Smt. Smita Uday Wagh, Shri Captain Brijesh Chowta, Shri Dineshbhai Makwana, Shri Chandra Prakash Joshi

## Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports

## Government of India Department of Sports

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1414 TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.02.2026

National Sports Governance Rules, 2026

## 1414.SHRI CAPTAIN BRIJESH CHOWTA:

SMT. VIJAYLAKSHMI DEVI:

SHRI CHINTAMANI MAHARAJ:

SHRI PARBHUBHAI NAGARBHAI VASAVA:

SMT. MAHIMA KUMARI MEWAR:

SMT. SMITA UDAY WAGH:

SMT. HIMADRI SINGH:

SHRI NEERAJ MAURYA:

SHRI P C MOHAN:

SHRI ALOK SHARMA:

SMT. SHOBHANABEN MAHENDRASINH BARAIYA:

SHRI DINESHBHAI MAKWANA:

SHRI ANURAG SINGH THAKUR:

SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO:

SMT. KAMLESH JANGDE:

SHRI CHANDRA PRAKASH JOSHI:

SHRI DILIP SAIKIA:

SHRI LUMBARAM CHOUDHARY:

SHRI JANARDAN MISHRA:

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

(a)  the  main objectives, salient features and key provisions of the National  Sports  Governance  (National  Sports  Bodies)  Rules,  2026 notified under the National Sports Governance Act, 2025;

- (b) the manner in which the said Rules aim to ensure transparency and accountability in sports organisations;
- (c) the provisions and special arrangements made under these Rules to ensure participation, representation and inclusion of outstanding sportspersons  and  women/women  athletes  in  the  administrative structures of National Sports Federations Bodies;
- (d)  the  timelines  and  procedures prescribed under these Rules for conducting  elections  of  national  sports  bodies,  updating  affiliated units and compliance;
- (e) whether any capacity building or awareness measures have been undertaken  to  facilitate  smooth  adoptions  of  the  rules  by  Sports Bodies and if so, the details thereof;
- (f) the details of the system adopted to ensure effective implementation  of  these  administrative  reforms  in  all  recognised National Sports Federation with specific reference to sports institution in Maharashtra; and
- (g) the manner in which effective implementation of these administrative  reforms  is  likely  to  develop  sporting  talent  at  the grassroots  level,  fair  selection  and  institutional  empowerment  in Parliamentary  Constituencies,  such  as  Shahjahanpur  and  Aonla (Bareilly) in Uttar Pradesh?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS [DR. MANSUKH MANDAVIYA]

- (a) to (g) The National Sports Governance (National Sports Bodies) Rules, 2026 framed under the National Sports Governance Act, 2025 has been notified on 12.01.2026. The said Rules lay down a statutory framework relating to governance standards, recognition, compliance requirements, ethical conduct, and institutional accountability  within  the  sports  ecosystem. Every  National  Sports Body is required, within a period of six months, to amend its bye-laws in conformity with the provisions of the Act.

## The Salient features of National Sports Governance (National Sports

Bodies) Rules, 2026 are:

-  Framework for the inclusion of Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit, composition of the General Body and Executive Committee,  election  procedures,  and  disqualification  criteria for  members  of  National  Sports  Bodies  and  Regional  Sports Federations.
- Inclusion  of  at  least  four  sportspersons  of  outstanding  merit (SOMs) in General Bodies, with 50% being women. To ensure at least  four  women  in  Executive  Committees,  National  Sports Bodies may reserve specific posts for women in the Executive
-  Committee through their bye-laws.
-  General eligibility criteria and tiered criteria for representation of  SOMs  in  the  General  Body  and  Executive  Committee  of
- National Sports Bodies.
-  Procedure for election to Executive Committee with timelines for  each stage of election, starting from submission of application to be a SOM to call for elections, release of final
- electoral roll and invitation for nominations.
-  Disqualifications for being a member of the General Body, or of any committee of a National Sports Body and declaring them ineligible for contesting for election to the Executive Committee or the Athletes Committee. Among the disqualifications,  persons  convicted  by  a  court  of  law  for  an offence, followed by a sentence of imprisonment, are debarred from  contesting  for  elections  to  Executive  Committee  or  the Athletes Committee or being member in the General Body or any committee of a National Sports Body.
- 
- Provision for Roster of the National Sports Election Panel.
- National Sports Bodies to ensure and facilitate the registration of all their affiliate units with the National Sports Board in such form and manner as may be specified by the National Sports
-  Board from time to time.

All recognised National Sports Federations are required to adhere to the notified provisions of the National Sports Governance Act, 2025, as  well  as  the  associated  Rules.  NSFs  are  required  to  take  all necessary steps to align their constitutions or bye-laws, institutional processes, and operations with this statutory framework within the stipulated timelines.

Copies of the Act, the Notification  and Rules are available on the website of the Ministry at the following link:

https://yas.gov.in/en/sports/nsga-2025

NSFs are fully responsible and accountable for the overall management, direction, control, regulation, promotion, development and sponsorship of the discipline for which they are recognized by the  concerned  International  Federation.  They  are  expected  to discharge these responsibilities in consonance with the principles laid  down  in  the  Olympic  Charter  or  in  the  charter  of  the  Indian Olympic  Association  or  the  relevant  International  Federation.  The National  Sports  Governance  Act,  2025  provides  that  a  recognised sports  organisation  shall  ensure  that  all  its  voting  members  and affiliate units, as applicable, complies with-

- (a) the International Charters and Statutes, as applicable, and shall exercise the rights, perform the duties and discharge the functions as specified therein; and
- (b) the provisions of this Act and the rules and regulations made thereunder.

The Ministry's detailed instructions to NSFs regarding fairness and transparency in the selection of athletes are already in place. These instructions  are  available  on  the  website  of  the  Ministry  at  the following link:

https://yas.nic.in/sites/default/files/Instructions%20relating%20 to%20selection%20of%20sportspersons%20%2805.03.2025%2 9%20%281%29.pdf

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