Eye on Pakistan? Bill proposes regulation on India’s international participation

NEW DELHI, July 23: The central government will have the power to “impose reasonable restrictions” on the international participation of Indian teams and individual athletes under “extraordinary circumstances”, as per the National Sports Governance Bill that was tabled in Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
Covered in the clause on “Power to issue directions and impose restrictions in national interest,” it clarifies a grey area on participation that often crops up with regards to arch foes Pakistan.
“The Central Government may, by an order, impose reasonable restrictions on the participation of any national team of a concerned sport in international sports competitions or participation of any individual in the activities of the national sports, under extraordinary circumstances and in the national interest,” states the bill, which will become an act only after being passed in both houses of the Parliament followed by President’s ascent.
The question of allowing an Indian team to compete in an international event mostly comes up when Pakistan is involved.
The government policy has been clear for several years — no bar on participation if it’s a multi-lateral event but bilaterals are “out of question.” This has been the position since the 2008 Mumbai terror attack in which over 150 people were killed by Pakistan-backed terrorists.
“This is an important step to ensure that the government has clear command on such decisions. Whenever national interest is involved, it’s the government which faces the questions and it is only fair that it has the final say,” a sports ministry source told PTI.
The two neighbours’ relationship nose-dived further after the Pahalgam terror attack this year in April in which 26 tourists were gunned down leading to a brief military showdown that ended on Pakistan’s request for a ceasefire.
The two countries have, however, engaged with each other in multilateral events even after Pahalgam as India is a member of the International Olympic Committee, whose charter bars any discrimination based on politics.
India has also cleared the decks for Pakistan’s entry to the country for international events like hockey’s Asia Cup next month and the junior shooting World Cup later this year to remain compliant with the Olympic Charter.
Compliance with the Charter is a must to land hosting rights of big events and India is gunning for the 2036 Olympic Games.
OTHER DISCRETIONARY POWERS
Besides this, the central government will also have the final say on the relaxation of the clauses of the act, including the cap of number of Executive Committee members in national sports bodies, currently capped at 15.
The sports ministry has assured that in case the international statutes differ from the provisions of the bill, the former will “take primacy”. However, the final call on this will also be in the hands of the government after due consultation with the National Sports Board, which will have powers to recognise or de-recognise national federations.
“…the Central Government may, after consulting the Board and the concerned International Sports Body as may be deemed necessary, issue a clarificatory notification in this regard,” the bill states.
ANTI DOPING AMENDMENT BILL TABLED
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday tabled the National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha, providing greater “operational independence” to the country’s Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) as prescribed by WADA.
The contentious National Board for Anti-Doping in Sports has been retained but it would no longer have the NADA appeals panel under its jurisdiction as was the case in the original act passed in 2022.
That act could not be implemented as WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) objected to “government interference” in the NADA’s functioning.
“The National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill, 2025, seeks to enhance institutional and operational independence of the National Anti-Doping Appeal Panel and the National Anti-Doping Agency to ensure autonomy in their decisions pertaining to operations, investigations and enforcement activities,” stated the bill’s objectives.
The Board was previously empowered to constitute the appeal panel and “oversee the activities” of NADA. This provision has been done away with in the amended bill which asserts NADA’s autonomy.
“The Director General or any other staff member of the Agency shall have operational independence from any National Sports Federation, International Federation, National Olympic Committee, National Paralympic Committee or any Government department or agency with responsibility for sport or anti-doping,” the amended bill states.
A day before the bill’s introduction, a sports ministry source had told PTI that amendments were necessary to ensure that India does not end up being suspended by WADA.
“If we had implemented the 2022 act, it would have invited a ban from WADA. Our lab would have been derecognised. So, the changes were necessary,” the source had said. (PTI)