The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will soon fall within the purview of the National Sports Bill, a top source at the Sports Ministry said today. The proposed Sports Bill, released by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, will aim at bringing transparency to the sports sector, having athlete-centric reforms, and integrating international best practices to turn the sports ecosystem in India. Since the BCCI is a National Sports Federation (NSF), the Bill should therefore cover it and place it under all the regulations and guidelines of the Sports Ministry.
The inclusion of BCCI in the national sports bill was much-awaited, particularly considering that Indian cricket teams will be participating in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. The BCCI had not been classified as a national sports federation (NSF) until 2020, when it became subject to the RTI Act in the year 2020. Under the new Sports Bill, the BCCI will then automatically be considered an NSF.
BCCI Under the National Sports Bill
The National Sports Bill 2025 is being viewed as a major step in reforming India’s sporting ecosystem through structural changes, increased accountability, and athlete-centric policies. One of the main details of the Bill is that it is athlete-centered, and all NSFs, including the Indian Olympic Association and the National Paralympic Committee, would have to set up Athletes Committees. Such panels will give sportspersons a formal platform for voicing their concerns and having a say in decision processes.
The Bill also requires a provision for two sportspersons of exceptional merit to be members of the Executive Committes of all recognized sports bodies. It also makes ultimate representation of gender by demanding four women be included in each of the Executive Committee compulsory. The Bill also suggests that a National Sports Tribunal be established that will act as a specific body that can be used to address conflicts in sports. Its decisions can only be questioned by taking them to the Supreme Court, hence fewer delays, which have affected the careers of several athletes.
The National Sports Board (NSB) is a proposed central body based on which recognition will be given to the NSFs and their state and district affiliates. It will as well monitor governance, compliance, and disbursement of funds. Transparency is highly emphasizedin the Bill where all the recognized sports organizations come under the scope of the Right to Information Act, 2005. Whether the National Sports Bill will affect BCCI is too early to conclude, and that includes the recommendations by the Lodha Committee.
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