New Delhi, August 12(HS): Hockey India has hailed the passage of the National Sports Governance Bill in Parliament as a watershed moment for Indian sport, marking the dawn of a new era in sports administration.

The landmark legislation — India’s first unified and comprehensive legal framework for sports governance — fulfils decades of calls for reform, creating an athlete-centric, transparent, and globally aligned model for managing the nation’s sporting ecosystem. Efforts to enact such a law began in 2011, but previous proposals failed to make it to Parliament or secure approval until now.

Hockey India President Dr. Dilip Tirkey called the moment historic:

“For the first time, Indian sport has been strengthened by a clear, athlete-first, transparent governance framework. This reform will inspire new confidence among athletes and stakeholders alike, delivering a structure that matches global best practices. Under the unwavering vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Indian sport is now prepared to excel at the very highest levels of international competition.”

Hockey India Secretary General Bholanath Singh described the Bill’s scope as truly transformative:

“It ensures that all sports bodies operate with integrity, transparency, and fairness, while guaranteeing athletes formal representation and real protection. Bringing every sports federation under the Right to Information Act and enforcing adherence to global anti-doping and ethical codes will safeguard India’s sporting reputation worldwide.”

The Bill is widely seen by the sports fraternity as the most significant governance reform in India’s sporting history, promising greater accountability, stronger protections for athletes, and a governance model capable of meeting international benchmarks.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar